Wye Oak bring 'Civilian' to sold out Chapel Hill crowd

All photos by Kevin Norris

Saturday night brought the second of three Merge Records bands to Chapel Hill's Local 506 for a sold out show. Baltimore duo Wye Oak played for a packed house of fans anxious to hear songs from the group's newly released album, Civilian.

The band delivered the entire new album except its closer, "Doubt." Frontwoman Jenn Wasner was battling a cold, which left her coughing between at least one song, but that didn't keep her from delivering a killer, full-on vocal performance, telling the crowd that she's been treating her cold with whiskey.

As usual, the band creating a stunningly full sound for a duo, much of it to the credit of drummer and keyboard player Andy Stack, who is sight to see playing drums with his right hand and a Nord keyboard with the left.

"Holy Holy" and "Dog Eyes" were standout tracks from Civilian in the set, which also featured the title tracks from the band's EP My Neighbor/MyCreator. They closed their main set with with the dreamy, stunning tune "I Hope You Die."

The band returned to the stage quickly to knock out a two-song encore of "Fish" and the jangly, thunderous "For Prayer" from their last album The Knot. It's become somewhat of a signature song for the band, and a fitting closer for the show.

Fellow Baltimore band Lower Dens opened the show, taking the stage in hipster, 1980s garb for a set shoegazer music. They have a dynamic sound which is droney and experimental. The song "Hospice Gates" from the band's acclaimed debut album Twin-Hand Movement was a standout song of the set.

Wye Oak set list
The Altar
Holy Holy
Plains
Hot as Day
My Neighbor
My Creator
Dog Eyes
Civilian
Take It In
That I Do
We Were Wealth
I Hope You Die
----------
Fish
For Prayer

Wye Oak


Lower Dens