Pitchfork

Flanked by busts of Beethoven and Wagner at the gorgeous Pabst Theater, Joanna Newsom kicked off her all-too-brief orchestral tour in Milwaukee last night. It was appropriate, really, for what is Ys if not a symphony of sorts in five movements (or, perhaps more accurately, a concerto for harp and voice with orchestra)?

And, just as she had been doing on tour with the Ys Street Band, Newsom and orchestra-- joined also by Ys Streeters Neal Morgan and Ryan Francesconi-- stuck to the score, taking on Ys in sequence from start to finish (with the orchestra standing by during the album's solo centerpiece, "Sawdust & Diamonds").

It was at once everything a Ys devotee could ever hope for-- Van Dyke Parks' sumptuous arrangements brought to life!-- and over all too soon. Once the strings dropped out at the end of "Cosmia", that was that for the orchestra. Following an intermission, Newsom, Morgan, and Francesconi returned to play a handful of Milk-Eyed Mender favorites, plus Ys Street Band EP showstopper "Colleen".

Newsom closed out the second set with an untitled, unaccompanied new song-- interestingly, it was only at the conclusion of this set that the seated crowd finally gave a deserved standing ovation.

Newsom's orchestral adventures continue in Austin this weekend.













Setlist:

"Emily" (with orchestra and members of Ys Street Band)
"Monkey & Bear" (with orchestra and members of Ys Street Band)
"Sawdust & Diamonds" (solo)
"Only Skin" (with orchestra and members of Ys Street Band)
"Cosmia" (with orchestra and members of Ys Street Band)

INTERMISSION

"Bridges and Balloons" (with members of Ys Street Band)
"The Book of Right-On" (with members of Ys Street Band)
"Inflammatory Writ" (with members of Ys Street Band)
"Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie" (with members of Ys Street Band)
Untitled New Song (solo)

ENCORE

"Peach, Plum, Pear" (with members of Ys Street Band)

Op. 2:

10-27 Austin, TX - Riverbend Center
10-29 Seattle, WA - Benaroya Hall
11-04 Grass Valley, CA - Music in the Mountains
11-09 Los Angeles, CA - Walt Disney Concert Hall
11-17 Atlanta, GA - Woodruff Arts Center Symphony Hall