# Anyone seen Sufjan Stevens in concert? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563 "2010-08-17T19:58:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/1 "2010-08-17T19:58:43Z")
Sufjan is coming to town and my daughter wants to see him. I was just curious if anyone has seen him live. I have most of his music but can’t imagine what his stage show would be like. Anyone have a review or description? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/2 "2010-08-18T13:06:25Z")
I don’t have an answer for you, but I’m kind of curious as well, so I’ll give this a bump. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/3 "2010-08-18T14:58:24Z")
Yep, saw him open for John Vanderslice back in 2004. He wore angel wings and a farmer’s hat, and I wasn’t overly impressed with his performance, although the trumpet player in his band was good. Then 3 years later my girlfriend gets into his music, and I listen to his albums for the time…I almost totally forgot that I saw him live before, and had to double check my journal, and it freaked me the fuck out. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/4 "2010-08-18T15:12:56Z")
Apparently he has cheerleaders. Here is a video from YouTube. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wqbpliLZgN0/hqdefault.jpg "Sufjan Stevens - Decatur") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqbpliLZgN0) ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/5 "2010-08-18T16:06:15Z")
I like a few of his songs, but it takes a bit to get me out to a concert anymore. Tickets are $35.00 which isn’t cheap, but not bad as concerts go. It is on a Friday though. I’ll check out the videos when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![kim\_jung\_il](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kim\_jung\_il](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kim_jung_il)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/6 "2010-08-19T01:38:52Z")
Saw him play in 2005/6. The cheerleaders were with him too. I hadn’t actually listened to much of his stuff beforehand, but thoroughly enjoyed his music. All of his songs were happy and about cities in America. They all had their own cheer as well. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/7 "2010-08-19T07:31:40Z")
Slight hijack… I’ve only heard him on the Life Aquatic soundtrack… (in which case I enjoyed him immensely as a laid back French cover version of David Bowie songs…) for some reason, I blindly associate him with Sigur Ros… in which case… [Justin Beiber slowed down sounds like Sigur Ros](http://www.boingboing.net/2010/08/17/justin-bieber-slowed.html) [however, Sigur Ros sped up does not sound like Justin Beiber…](http://www.boingboing.net/2010/08/17/but-sigur-ros-sped-u.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/8 "2010-08-19T08:22:55Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > I’ve only heard him on the Life Aquatic soundtrack… (in which case I enjoyed him immensely as a laid back French cover version of David Bowie songs…) Am I being wooshed? The songs from the Life Aquatic were in Portuguese and sung by [Seu Jorge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seu_Jorge). ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/9 "2010-08-19T23:49:04Z")
> [@Mycroft\_Holmes](#): > > Am I being wooshed? The songs from the Life Aquatic were in Portuguese and sung by [Seu Jorge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seu_Jorge). Not a woosh, just a brain fart. For some reason, Sigur Ros and Seu Jorge are located on the same neuron… ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/10 "2010-10-24T23:35:58Z")
Lost4life, did you go? I saw him Friday night and I can easily say it was the best show I’ve seen in my life, and I’ve seen a lot of shows. His new album is very spacey and almost psychedelic, and the visuals were just amazing. I think Seven Swans/Michigan/Illinois work better on CD when you’re alone, but the new stuff works far better in concert. I’m really hoping he puts out a DVD of this tour so I can take it all in again. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/11 "2010-10-28T16:18:02Z")
Giving this one more try. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/12 "2010-10-28T17:54:39Z")
Oops, just noticed this. The concert didn’t happen yet. I believe it is next Friday, and I have to work on Saturday, which is rare. That won’t necessarily stop me, but it puts a damper on going out. Thanks for your review. That makes me more curious about going. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/13 "2010-10-28T18:01:25Z")
We saw Sufjan here in Chicago on 10/15. It was a really fantastic show… one of the better that I’ve seen, honestly, and I go to a LOT of concerts. We were worried about going because we’ve heard that he’s pretty hit or miss, depending on what he’s into at the moment. Also have heard that he tends to show up to shows drunk or high and not really “with it” but that wasn’t the case at all at the show we went to. The setlist was almost entirely stuff from his new album, and his recent EP. However, don’t let this scare you off because most of it is VERY accessible and plays wondefully live. One song is something like 20 minutes long, but was never anything less than enjoyable. He did do some good stuff from his Michigan and Illinois albums, but saved it for the end of the show and the encore. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/14 "2010-10-28T18:09:16Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Also have heard that he tends to show up to shows drunk or high and not really “with it” What??! Cite? I have never gotten the impression that he drinks or smokes, and certainly never heard anything about him showing up to a concert not “with it”. I can hardly imagine it. Most of his fans were pretty shocked when they found out he says “fuck” on the new album. > [@Bob Ducca](#): > > He did do some good stuff from his Michigan and Illinois albums, but saved it for the end of the show and the encore. What did he do from Michigan? At the show I saw, he opened with Seven Swans (the song), closed with Chicago, and then the encore was 3 more Illinois songs and another Seven Swans song. Nothing from Michigan, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/15 "2010-10-28T18:13:50Z")
Went recently. It was a techno show. I guess I should have known coming in but had no idea that it would be such a departure and I really didn’t want to see what seemed to me like a Moby show. Also the enormous projections of edited clips of Sufjan Stevens himself dancing, running behind him while he was singing seemed pretty tacky and disappointingly egotistical. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/16 "2010-10-28T19:04:33Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Went recently. It was a techno show. I guess I should have known coming in but had no idea that it would be such a departure and I really didn’t want to see what seemed to me like a Moby show. You call 11 live musicians singing and play real instruments on stage a techno show? 😕 Sufjan Stevens writes, orchestrates, and performs songs, and plays several different instruments himself. Moby spins records. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/17 "2010-10-28T20:36:14Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > What??! Cite? I have never gotten the impression that he drinks or smokes, and certainly never heard anything about him showing up to a concert not “with it”. I can hardly imagine it. Most of his fans were pretty shocked when they found out he says “fuck” on the new album. I’ll look for some cites. He’s certainly a smoker, and I’ve just heard stories of his concert antics 2nd hand. I’ll see what more I can find out. > [@](#): > > What did he do from Michigan? At the show I saw, he opened with Seven Swans (the song), closed with Chicago, and then the encore was 3 more Illinois songs and another Seven Swans song. Nothing from Michigan, unfortunately. Crap, you’re right. I misremembered one of the songs. I could have sworn he’d played “Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head.” Guess I was wrong…here’s the setlist from Chicago: 1.Seven Swans 2.Too Much 3.Age of Adz 4.Heirloom 5.I Walked 6.Now That I’m Older 7.Vesuvius 8.Futile Devices 9.Get Real Get Right 10.The Owl and the Tanager 11.Impossible Soul 12.Chicago (Seeing this live at the Chicago Theater is one of the highlights of 2010 for me.) Encore: 13.Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois 14.Decatur, Or, Round Of Applause For Your Stepmother! (said that he almost never plays this.) 15.Casimir Pulaski Day 16.John Wayne Gacy, Jr. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/18 "2010-10-28T21:20:31Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I’ll look for some cites. He’s certainly a smoker, and I’ve just heard stories of his concert antics 2nd hand. I’ll see what more I can find out. Cool. Makes me feel better about my favorite singer being a wussy Christian :D. > [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Crap, you’re right. I misremembered one of the songs. I could have sworn he’d played “Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head.” Guess I was wrong…here’s the setlist from Chicago: > > 1.Seven Swans > 2.Too Much > 3.Age of Adz > 4.Heirloom > 5.I Walked > 6.Now That I’m Older > 7.Vesuvius > 8.Futile Devices > 9.Get Real Get Right > 10.The Owl and the Tanager > 11.Impossible Soul > 12.Chicago (Seeing this live at the Chicago Theater is one of the highlights of 2010 for me.) > > Encore: > 13.Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois > 14.Decatur, Or, Round Of Applause For Your Stepmother! (said that he almost never plays this.) > 15.Casimir Pulaski Day > 16.John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Damn, I would’ve loved to see Decatur. From memory, the set at my show was identical, except for “That Dress Looks Nice on You” in that spot. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/19 "2010-10-28T21:50:08Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > here’s the setlist from Chicago: > > 1.Seven Swans > 2.Too Much > 3.Age of Adz > 4.Heirloom > 5.I Walked > 6.Now That I’m Older > 7.Vesuvius > 8.Futile Devices > 9.Get Real Get Right > 10.The Owl and the Tanager > 11.Impossible Soul > 12.Chicago (Seeing this live at the Chicago Theater is one of the highlights of 2010 for me.) > > Encore: > 13.Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois > 14.Decatur, Or, Round Of Applause For Your Stepmother! (said that he almost never plays this.) > 15.Casimir Pulaski Day > 16.John Wayne Gacy, Jr. From setlist.fm: Seven Swans Too Much Age of Adz Heirloom I Walked Vesuvius The Owl and the Tanager Get Real Get Right Futile Devices Enchanting Ghost Impossible Soul Chicago Encore: Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois Casimir Pulaski Day The Dress Looks Nice on You John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Looks like we got “Enchanting Ghost”, which I guess is probably worth the trade for Decatur. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-seen-sufjan-stevens-in-concert/550563/20 "2010-10-28T22:14:17Z")
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