In support of their June release of The Fragile Army, the Polyphonic Spree, now cloaked in black army suits adorned with hearts, red crosses and ribbons, filled their set with a combination of new songs and favorites from their previous releases. With a burst of confetti over the crowd, they took the stage at Canes Friday night in San Diego. The set’s intro didn’t initially engage, with words strewn across an on stage screen that slowly transformed into the lyrics from John Lennon’s “Give Me Some Truth”, but within minutes, leader Tim DeLaughter cut through the screen to reveal the ensemble behind it and the house’s energy began to swell, sweeping us all up into the Polyphonic Spree’s spiritual performance.
Crowd favorites included the newest single, “Running Away”, as well as previous releases like “Light and Day, “Soldier Girl” and “Hold Me Now”. The crowd, covered in sweat and confetti, seemed to buzz on the purest of natural highs, fully engaged by the band’s unceasingly positive energy. And a special treat it was when the Polyphonic Spree came back out for the encore, dressed in their well known white robes, appearing out of nowhere through the center of the crowd to step one by one back on stage. A “love” chant echoed through the electrified crowd. The encore continued on, song after song, with Tim pleading with Canes, offering every penny in his pockets, for a few more minutes in which to elevate the crowd towards a final, ecstatic climax made possible only by the sum of the Spree’s indispensable parts.
