W W W . E X O D U S T E R . C O M - F I E R Y F U R N A C E S

Fiery Furnaces,
@ Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
October 29, 2004

If the Fiery Furnaces fall into the tradition of rock opera (although I have argued elsewhere this description is incomplete), then a Fiery Furnaces live show is the Choose Your Own Adventure version of their operatic works. In a performance that nearly defies logic the Fiery Furnaces are able to transform their rich and long albums into a surprisingly full and complex performance. I imagine the recipe for this show is as follows: take 2004’s Blueberry Boat; add in a splash of Gallowsbird’s Bark, a dollop of rock-band-drummer antics, a hint of brother-sister chemistry, and a touch of haughty art-school style. Mix well in a large blender. Be prepared to drink this show up in one swoop – no room to breathe! – because the Fiery Furnaces don’t stop until they’ve performed without pause, comment, or transition for nearly an hour. In this reinterpretation of their album work, only a few cuts remain relatively whole; I Lost My Dog But Now He’s Found, for example, was performed in its entirety, while only touches of Quay Cur and Birdbrain appeared.

I can’t be certain whether or not this is a show for the ADD generation or not. On one hand, the crowd is demanded to look on a stage for over one hour, while the performance – while entertaining – varies little. On the other hand, no musical interlude in their non-stop performance lasts more than 120 seconds, clearly providing a constant source of new stimulation. Clearly, the result is taxing, and, unfortunately, numbing at times. But, at the end, when they exit the stage with their first words to the audience of the evening (“thanks for coming, we’re the Fiery Furnaces”), I think more than anything the result is impressive.

How do you encore a 70-minute remix? The Furnaces returned to the stage twice: first to play a scaled-down recombinatory piece, second to play a sadly-sweet, simple acoustic song performed by the Friedbergers alone. This last song may have been the highlight, demonstrating that beneath the gear, style, and production the Fiery Furnaces can still satisfy.