Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of seeing Dead Can Dance at Marymoor Amphitheatre last month. It was the second time I'd seen them live -- the first being in the early 1990s -- and I admit I was a bit wary of the idea of seeing them in an outdoor venue. When I'd last seen them in Washington DC two decades ago, they performed in an old church; the perfect place to see Dead Can Dance in that era. The acoustics and the ambience were perfect and memorable. So when I found out they'd be playing in a place with a beer/wine garden, food vendors, and lawn seating, I was concerned that the show would somehow be cheapened by the atmosphere.
I needn't have worried. From my vantage point in the folding chairs, the show was mesmering, and the acoustics, just right. Lisa Gerrard was statuesque, her voice having somehow become more beautiful over the years. Brendan Perry was a wonderful, subtly humorous host. We heard a number of songs from their new album, Anastatis, and some old classics like Sanvean and Dreams Made Flesh. The highlight of the encore for me was Brendan Perry singing a version of Song to the Siren, which came out much more passionate and beautiful than Liz Fraser's version, IMO (and I adore Liz Fraser).
I leave you with a track from their newest album.
