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In a configuration that was both purposeful and a problem for the Crystal Ballroom's sound techs at Oct. 20's sold-out show, Blind Pilot sounds best when everyone's quiet.
Part of the problem is that the band's recent album, And Then Like Lions, is centered more on layers of acoustic stringed instruments, while 2011's We Are the Tide focused on big, bright percussion and strumming. Seeing this change executed live highlighted Blind Pilot's two best assets: the sweet sentimentality of frontman Israel Nebeker's songwriting, and the underappreciated finesse of those playing behind him.
In the post-Decemberists deluge of Pacific Northwest indie folk bands, the combination of eagerness and technical skill—shown in the seamless transitions of multi-instrumentalists Kati Claborn and Dave Jorgensen—has set up Blind Pilot with staying power. By the middle of the set, I was struck by how few people were there just to Snapchat the show. Frat dudes and drunk moms alike sang along to every word.
When the band crowded around a single mic to sing "Just One," people closed their eyes and smiled. "Let all things be as they should," everyone sang. "Let my heart just drift like wood." It was sort of disgusting. "I can't believe we get just one," the crowd continued. I assumed they were talking about lives, but what do I know? And then, something crazy happened: I started smiling, too.
Willamette Week