Les Savy Fav rocks the Nasher Museum of Art

It's probably a good thing that I went into the Les Savy Fav concert at Nasher with minimal expectations other than to be entertained, because even now, two days later, I'm still processing the whole...experience.

Several hundred people packed the back lawn of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke Saturday evening to see Brooklyn's Les Savy Fav play about an hour and a half of ear melting punk-infused indie rock.

No one was safe as lead singer Tim Harrington wandered through the crowd midsong, webcam strapped to the side of his head and microphone cable trailing behind. A second person, not in the band, also meandered through the crowd with a camera on his shoulder. Feeds from both cameras were projected on to large screens behind the band.

Harrington mostly roamed about, occasionally stopping to lay down next to one woman and sing a verse, or ask a young child what book he was reading during a solo.

The show was the first concert held at Nasher, and hopefully not the last. Aside from the fact that the lawn actually sloped downward away from the stage, it was a great venue.

"It's cool to play in a classy sort of joint," Harrigton told the crowd. "A lot of times we're on the seedier side of town."

The band itself was tight, if not deafening. They closed their set with their own version of "Precision Auto" in homage to Superchunk which I'm sure Laura Ballance, who was in attendance, enjoyed.

"This is the most concerty concert of all time" Harrigton said before the band played its last song. Indeed it was.

Set list: (taken straight from the band's list -- I take no responsibility for errors or omissions!)

1. What Would Wolves Do
2. Patty Lee
3. The Equestrian
4. The Year Before the Year 2000
5. Reprobate's Resume
6. Yawn, Yawn, Yawn
7. The Sweat Descends
8. Scotchguard the Credit Card
9. Scout's Honor
10. The Lowest Bitter
11. Dishonest Don Part II
12. Rage in the Plague Age
13. Rome
14. Who Rocks the Party
15. Precision Auto (Superchunk cover)

Encore:

1. We'll Make a Lover Out of You
2. Blackouts on Thursday

[all photos by Kevin Norris]