Photo of Kaoru Ishibashi by Rob Williamson
I didn’t intend to write a review for this show. I’ve already reviewed two different Kishi Bashi performances (one at Delmar Hall, one at Powell Hall with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra), and I feared it would be a disservice to one of my all-time favorite musicians if I gushed about the same million things I love about his live shows. I intended to simply enjoy the show, freely, without a single reviewing thought in my head. As it turns out, the reviewing thoughts appeared in spite of my intentions, as I watched virtuoso violinist Kaoru Ishibashi perform live for my fifth time now. How can an artist be so consistently and uniquely great at the same time? What are the keys to making the fifth show just as thrilling as the first? I counted the ways I love Kishi Bashi shows throughout the evening, and here are the results.
10 reasons why I will see Kishi Bashi every chance I get:
- The electric violin
For me, the single most remarkable thing about a Kishi Bashi show is all the glorious electric violin, front-and-center. He played it tenderly, furiously, experimentally, harmoniously, solo and in tandem with his bandmates. He traded his violin just a few times—twice briefly for a massive keytar, once more for an acoustic guitar—but on the whole, the violin is where it’s at.
- The song selection
He knows how to pick the right tracks from a new album to engage his audience. The newest release, Kantos, is full of moods, and he doled out some of the most energetic pieces in small bites, at the start of the set and then interwoven between classic favorites, to make the new songs shine and keep the standards exciting.
- The joy
Here’s an artist who seems to be genuinely moved by the music he’s making. If he didn’t have an instrument in hand, then Ishibashi was skanking with a mic. It wasn’t choreography, it was just being moved by the music. Make music that makes you want to dance!
- Creation
It is positively mind-blowing to watch Ishibashi create music. He builds a foundation layer-by-layer and then accompanies himself on violin and vocals. You can’t always comprehend where the sounds or beats are leading in the first or second loop alone, but once he has the groundwork laid and the melodies come together, it’s eye-opening to realize how the sounds you know so well were constructed. Mid-set, the band took a break while Ishibashi played solo, including “Summer of ‘42” from the Omoiyari soundtrack and some experiments with sound-looping. “That sounded kind of cool. Maybe that will go on the new album! Did anyone film that? Will you tag me when you post it?” It was an incredible process to witness, and an amazing opportunity to be a part of music creation.
- The voice
Ishibashi pulls no punches in the live performance of his songs. Just when you think an upcoming phrase might be too challenging to execute in a live environment, he stuns you with every note you can anticipate. It’s all there, every switch to falsetto, in all its resonant glory. Even the heartbreak in “I Am the Antichrist” was as delicate and intense live as it is recorded.
- The band
I think I’ve seen a different configuration of musicians on each Kishi Bashi tour. On this tour, he is accompanied by Sweet Loretta, an alt-pop band from London, who also recorded Kantos in-studio with Ishibashi. Each variation in musicians brings a new spin on classic Kishi Bashi songs—this time I got U2 and Pink Floyd-like vibes in the guitar effects. And each iteration creates a new mental association, so I can still imagine the symphony strings where they clearly are not present, and I can now count an Irish/British rock tinge as the freshest layer.
- Tall Tall Trees
Speaking of the band, I believe Mike Savino has been at stage left on guitar, bass, and banjo every time I’ve seen Ishibashi with a band. Savino is a wonder in his own right—an immense talent and a radiant light, even when he doesn’t bring the light-up banjo. The sounds he conjures from his instruments are perplexing and awe-inspiring.
- The costumes!
Now, Mr. Steak is a staple. Somehow that costume has remained intact (to the naked audience eye, anyhow) since the first time I saw Kishi Bashi in 2016. This time, not only did Mr. Steak make the requisite appearance for his featured song, “The Ballad of Mr. Steak,” but he made a special introductory appearance, surprising us all with his (toy) saxophone chops on the groovy new song, “Lilliputian Chop.” In addition, this tour also saw the entire band appear in Roman mythology-inspired costumes for “Icarus IV” from the new album. Togas, robes, sun gods spread across the stage, as well as a massive pair of metallic gold wings, individually feathered, that one tenacious soul flapped and interpretive-danced the crap out of behind Ishibashi’s violin playing.
- The banter
Ishibashi is on the chattier end of the musician spectrum, but it’s never just to talk at us or just to hear the sound of his own voice. He chatted with the band as well as the audience while the band was tuning between songs, probably due to that emphasis on making connections. Did you know Mr. Steak is a college graduate? From St. Louis University, apparently! Petition to make Mr. Steak an honorary Billiken!
- The connection
Ishibashi says the most valuable part of performance for him is the opportunity to connect with his audience. If you’re familiar with Kishi Bashi’s material, there’s an innate compulsion to sing along with him. Sometimes he initiates it, and sometimes it seems to surprise him that the audience knows his material so well. Sometimes, if you’re lucky enough to get an acoustic encore on the dance floor, as the Delmar Hall did once again, the whole audience hums along softly with “Manchester,” under our breath, in the gentlest chorus, in deference to the unmic’ed musicians. We really wanted to hear Ishibashi’s voice in lush harmony with the rest of the band, but the song we shared could not be contained. | Courtney Dowdall
