Show Review: Dan Deacon @ Scoot Inn (3/7)

For this show review, we’ve brought in a new contributor to the team who will hopefully hit up some shows we might not normally attend and offer even more coverage in the Austin area. On Saturday night our new writer, A.Burnett, went out to Scoot Inn for a show by the now legendary performer Dan Deacon. She wrote some words for us and took some pics as well. Her review along with photos can be had after the jump.

To put it simply, Dan Deacon really knows how to work a crowd.

Saturday night, March 7th at The Historic Scoot Inn Dan Deacon returned to Austin from Baltimore for another energy-bursting show. Just the day after the news was broken to the city that SXSW this year would be cancelled, Dan Deacon found a way to get everyone back on their feet and enjoying the synth tunes that exploded through his fingertips. With the help of his incredibly talented drummer and bassist, Mr. Deacon raised the crowd out of the dreary weather slump and organized them into his perfected dance circles after he began his performance with two hits from his 2009 album Bromst. Thirsty for guidance from someone they respect, the audience cheerfully obliged to all of Dan’s requests, aiding and abetting to his performance throughout the night. Mr. Deacon played multiple tracks from his latest album Mystic River. The layers of piano chords and consistent and punctual beats got the crowds frozen toes tapping, and even his own New Balance sneakers did their dance on stage.

Something about Dan Deacon’s music, his demeanor, and his stereotype of fans gives his audience the opportunity to let loose, to feel completely relinquished. His consistent interaction with his listeners during his performance always seems to leave them wanting more. The playful parading and flamboyant flailing of the audience members gives so much more power to what Dan Deacon does in his 90 minute set. It moves beyond his music. Between numbers he made logical suggestions how we as citizens can work through local decibel restrictions, who might make a good president, how Austinites should run for local office, and to wash our hands for 20 seconds. It has been 5 years since Dan’s last album, and I think Saturday nights performance was just what the doctor ordered in this lull of Austin’s spring.

His high energy is always such a relief, but I feel like even more so on that day- with the hangover of no SXSW, the dreary weather, and mercury in retrograde leaving everyone with less hope to hang on to for 2020. All musicians usually have something to say about politics and any musician who gives a shit about his audience and interaction with them is going to comment on these trials and he did. And what made his comments so relieving is that they werent outlandishly optimistic. They were purely a sensible way to approach these problems with a logical demeanor. Vote for Bernie, duh. Wash your hands for 20 seconds. If youre upset about the decibels then talk to your neighbors about sound restrictions. If youre unhappy with the decision that your city government is making then realize it is a reflection on you and your citys population, and maybe run for office to give everyone a voice in these decisions.

There was no: fuck this, fuck that, this is stupid, why did they do this to us, were all going to die. Just realistic, pragmatic, and functional responses to the world and the days woes.

Thanks Dan for bringing us back to reality. Time is a construct and no one goes on Tumblr anymore.