Fashion and hype can be a terrible thing. Especially in the music world. The thought that an artist can be 'past their time' because of current trends is a useless and irrelevant idea. Grizzly Bear could fall into this trap. Around a decade ago they were the darlings of the music world. 'Veckatimest' was luminescent and follow up 'Shields' glowed as well. But then the band stood aside for a while. Last year they returned with 'Painted Ruins' and generally speaking it was very well received but there were choruses of 'we've moved on'. Well I believe true quality lasts. And in years to come Grizzly Bear will be revered and others hyped up will be in the dustbins of history.

So it was with great excitement that they returned to the Sydney Opera House last Monday night. It was a stark reminder of their greatness. Their sublime musicianship. Their incomparable harmonies and melodies. All five musicians displaying craft and intelligence. 'Painted Ruins' was well shown with 'Three Rings' being a certain standout. But it was a well rounded evening with the band reaching back to 'Knife' and 'On a Neck, On a Spit' and also giving us well received classics such as 'Two Weeks' and 'Sleeping Ute'. It was a rapturous crowd bedazzled by the beauty unfolding before us. By the time they closed the night with the simply glorious 'Sun in Your Eyes' it was a very grateful audience indeed.

Set List
Four Cypresses

Losing All Sense
Cut-Out
Yet Again
Fine for Now
Ready, Able
Sleeping Ute
Mourning Sound
Glass Hillside
Two Weeks
On a Neck, On a Spit
Foreground
Knife
Three Rings
While You Wait for the Others

Shift
Sun in Your Eyes