Written By:
Gavin Riley
16th September 2009
At 01:32 GMT

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Boy do Okkervil River put on a good show. Yes, Will Sheff may be a bit pretentious but we wouldn't have him any other way.

Around for over a decade now Okkervil River have ventured into territories that many dare not touch, writing songs about dead presidents and gruesome murders, whist quietly going about their business and becoming one of the most respected bands on the planet.

Tonight they provide the main support for headliners Fleet Foxes. Robin and the rest of the boys must have been quaking in their shoes after watching this show.

There have been multiple line-up changes over the years, most notably Jonathan Meiburg's departure for full-time Shearwater duties, but it was good to see new guitarist Lauren Gurgiolo has settled well into her full-time role in the band. Indeed she adds a new dimension to the band that's perhaps been lacking since Meiburg's decampment. Affluent on guitar, banjo and mandolin, she allows Sheff less responsibility and brings to life songs like set closer 'Unless It Kicks' which finally (this is the third time we've seen O.R live) included the phenomenal guitar solo that brings the song to a close.

For some reason security let us watch the show from the photo pit, which could have had a calamitous effect on our health.

As Sheff concluded the final song, he held aloft his mike stand and threw it into the photo pit missing yours truly by a few inches. But we didn't care. We just witnessed the best show of the weekend.

As security placed the stand back onto stage, there was the loudest cheer I've ever heard for an encore. It was never going to happen. They'd run over time anyway. But we were treated to a wonderful "secret" show the following day. More of that later.

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