We connected with The Low Anthem in the middle of the Great Hall at Grand Central Station. The band had been on the road for the mostly all of 2009; their hair was long and their were eyes a little bleary. The one thing that comforted them was their instruments which be it Ben’s guitar, Matt’s accordion, Jocie’s shaker made out of pill bottles and rubber bands, or Jeff’s bass drum, was never out of their hands. It was here where The Low Anthem warmed up with “Apothecary” a song that has yet to appear on any of their albums. Security being what it is these days in New York City, it’s hard to get away with too much in public spaces before the authorities shut you down. Perhaps it was the season, but somehow the officers let the band play, let us roll our camera, and let the passersby watch. For a moment we were all on the same path.
With rush hour upon us we moved to a place where we had more control. I brought the band to Pier 66 on the Hudson River where a surprisingly unlocked Lackawanna Railway car sits vacant. Here, more instruments were brought out: clarinets and horns, a portable organ, a harmonium, and cell phones that called each other on speakerphone to loop everything together. By the time I got my gas lantern lit The Low Anthem was in their element.
Commenter