It had been so long since I’d been to the Hollywood Bowl I’d forgotten just what a magical place it could be. I didn’t need to think twice, however, when I had the opportunity to snag a ticket to see two incredible bands: Beach House and Fleet Foxes.

Beach House I had seen a few times before, so I was already prepared to be blown away by them once again. I was excited to also catch my first live Fleet Foxes show because Robin Pecknold & Co. are musical geniuses.

I arrived early before the sun went down to have a picnic with friends overlooking the city. The show started promptly at 7:45 with Beach House as the opening act. They were backlit during the entire performance, their classic starlit backdrop sparkling on early in the set. They started with “Levitation,” allowing the music to start on a soft note. Singer Victoria Legrand hid behind her hair, singing softly at first, but exposing her full range later in the set. While they’re usual set ending song, “Elegy to the Void” wasn’t quite as dramatic in the open space, it’s still one of my favorites to see live. They also played “Chariot” from their latest B-Sides and Rarities release. This time they ended the set with “Myth,” the first track on Bloom, which was just as fitting to close the set. Legrand rarely spoke to the audience, but when she did it was about love, gratitude and appreciation for being able to perform again with Fleet Foxes.

After Beach House’s hour-long set, Fleet Foxes took the stage. Robin Pecknold’s voice was solid throughout the set, and the harmonies were simply magnificent as well. They really played up the dynamic contrasts, utilizing the Bowl’s full capacity, ranging from belting to whispering from dramatic effect. While they played many songs I recognized like “Ragged Wood” and “Mykonos,” I was blown away by several of their newer, more epic-scale tracks I had not yet heard. “On Another Ocean (January / June)” started off delicately and then went into an indie rock beat. While it was one of the more straightforward tracks in a set laden with tempo and time changes, it was stunning. Another breathtaking performance was of “The Shrine / An Argument,” an 8 minute track that featured an angsty Pecknold melody and built up into a cymbal-crashing, driving chorus.  It was one of those sets that was welcomingly long. And just like that the night was over, and we were forced to come to terms that each of our cars were blocked in as we ventured down the hill to our cars.

Beach House set list:

1. Levitation
2. Wild
3. PPP
4. Silver Soul
5. Space Song
6. 10 Mile Stereo
7. Chariot
8. Wishes
9. Elegy to the Void
10. Take Care
11. Sparks
12. Myth

Fleet Foxes set list:

1. I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar
2. Cassius, – Naiads, Cassadies
3. Grown Ocean
4. Ragged Wood
5. Your Protector
6. The Cascades
7. On Another Ocean (January / June)
8. Fool’s Errand
9. He Doesn’t Know Why
10. Battery Kinzie
11. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
12. Mykonos
13. White Winter Hymnal
14. Third of May / Ōdaigahara
15. The Shrine / An Argument
16. Blue Ridge Mountains
17. Blues Run the Game
    (Jackson C. Frank cover)
18. Helplessness Blues

Set lists from http://www.setlist.fm, Photo from Sub Pop