Having once lived in Atlanta, after relocating to Savannah, there is nothing more that I miss than concerts. Wagatail Productions’ Ben Baruch is hoping to change that by bringing Yeasayer, one of decades biggest indie bands, to SCAD’s Trustees Theatre. I went into Trustees pining desperately for a return to my beloved downtown Atlanta area. I did not leave disappointed.

There was a lot of idle chatter outside Trustee’s on Broughton concerning Yeasayer coming to Savannah, and how infrequently tours come to the area- I can’t help but agree. Sure, B. B. King was just here, but there’s something about seeing an up and coming group before they hit it big in an intimate setting that cannot be replicated by an arena show where even the nosebleed tickets are fifty dollars. Entertainment is hard to come by when you’re broke from buying books and supplies.

I was giddy with excitement when I heard that Yeasayer, one of indie’s biggest and most beloved acts, announced they would be stopping in Savannah on their current tour to support their latest album, Odd Blood. I had already planned to visit the Masquerade in Atlanta to see them, now I’d be saving gas!

Washed Out began promptly wasting no time playing a short set that won over the crowd. Georgia native Ernest Green’s chillwave beats translated well with a full band, setting the stage with an eclectic sound that was a perfect compliment to the main act. And when Yeasayer did take the stage, they were met with many anxious and eager fans.

Trustees Theatre is a curious venue for a band. Yeasayer might have been playing to a full house- if everyone had been in their seats. However, staying seated while Yeasayer’s highly unique genre-melding fusion of pop sensibility with world beats and folk style is almost impossible. Sometimes-lead singer Chris Keating even said, “I’m glad you guys got up and came close, it would have been weird if everyone and stayed sitting down.”

With the house lights off, three podiums on the main stage filled with red light; a cue for Yeasayer’s latest single, “Madder Red.” Immediately after, the stage awash in green, the band launched into the frenetic pace of “Rome,” allowing Keating to come forward to face the crowd and deliver his signature loquacious lyricism. Any fears that the new album would take center stage were allayed immediately thereafter when Yeasayer’s other lead singer, Anand Wilder broke into “Wait For the Summer” and “2080,” the folk anthems from their 2007 release All Hour Cymbals that defined their sound and personality.

It was very apparent that despite the grueling tour schedule, Yeasayer were enjoying themselves; Keating and Wilder took turns on vocal duties and bassist Ira Wolf Tuton delivered bass rhythms that kept the crowd bouncing and swaying. It was also noted that Yeasayer’s drummer, Jason Trammell was celebrating a homecoming, himself having graduated from SCAD in 1999. The finale was fraught with bombast, as the band coaxed a wall-shaking chant from the crowd during the break-up/addiction centric “O.N.E.” and popular gem, “Ambling Alp.”

At the end of the night, I saw lots of smiling faces. I was one of them. I had hoped for a return to years back, going to cheap but memorable shows for acts I had a feeling were going to be big. What I got was one of the most intimate and engaging shows I’d been to in years. Now, we can all hope that bands like Washed Out and Yeasayer playing so close to home and not hours away is a trend that will continue. If you feel the same way, drop Ben at Wagatail a line- let him know that we need more guys like him calling the shots and bringing down the sounds we love.

To learn more about Yeasayer, visit http://www.yeasayer.net/

To learn more about Washed Out, visit http://www.myspace.com/thebabeinthewoods

To learn more about Wagatail Productions, visit http://www.wagatailpresents.com/

Photography by: Rhiannon S. Modzelewski