TAS Live Review: Los Campesinos! At Music Hall Of Williamsburg, October 15

The Latin phrase "in medias res" means to jump into a story in the middle of the action, and that's how Los Campesinos! started their show on Friday, with the song of that title and the energy high.

The UK group is one of the most fun I've seen, and packed the Music Hall of Williamsburg as a nonet; the debut of trumpet player Tim Campesinos! grounded their already-busy arrangements. Plus, as he joined the audience in mouthing along the lyrics, it was evident he was as big a fan as any in the crowd.

The articulate indie pop of Los Campesinos! is filled with stories and clever turns of phrase courtesy of frontman Gareth Campesinos!. Gareth, who often duets with keyboardist Kim Campesinos! (notice a trend in their surnames?), leads with his charm and jaunty dance moves as his songs ambush the crowd from all angles. A lot of these songs cover the heart-on-sleeve emotions most of us pack away after high school graduation, but they also read as deliberately polysemic.

Despite the title of their newest release, Romance Is Boring, Los Campesinos! leave their music open to both pro- and anti- romance interpretations. This ambivalence shows up in lyrics like, "I cherish with fondness the day (before) I met you" from "My Year in Lists" and a line from "We Are All Accelerated Readers," musing, "The opposite of true love is as follows: reality!"

While Gareth introduced a couple of songs by saying, "Now we're gonna play a sad song," even their saddest songs aren't particularly heart-wrenching. "Who Fell Asleep In" and show closer "Knee Deep at ATP" might still be considered dance songs, just with particularly earnest lyrics. Harriet Campesinos!'s lovely violin playing is often used to signify the more maudlin feelings.

Never ones to let the show go way of self-pity, however, Los Campesinos! quickly bounced back with the glockenspiel-driven, dance-pop song "You! Me! Dancing!" As the song ended, Gareth pointed his mallet toward the sky, triumphant. One of my favorite lines of theirs is, "It’s always sad to go but it’s never that sad, because there’s only certain places you’re guaranteed of getting a hug when you go."

By the end of the set all band members came together, arms around each other, to chant the last lines of "Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks."  It dawned on me that Los Campesinos! are just a big group of friends who are lucky enough to get rowdy on stage every night. By inviting the audience to shout along with them, Los Campesinos! expands that group of friends with each show. Gareth said he feels at home in Brooklyn, and Brooklyn was happy to have him.

Los Campesinos! Set List for Music Hall of Williamsburg, October 15:

In Medias Res
Death to Los Campesinos!
Miserabilia
A Heat Rash in the Shape of the Show Me State; or, Letters from Me to Charlotte
...And We Exhale and Roll Our Eyes in Unison
We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Straight in At 101
Romance Is Boring
These Are Listed Buildings
Who Fell Asleep In
My Year In Lists
You! Me! Dancing!
The Sea Is a Good Place to Think of the Future
Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks

Encore:
Ways to Make It Through the Wall
Knee Deep at ATP