Broken Bells at Central Park Summerstage (September 26, 2014)

On Friday night Broken Bells played to a packed audience at Central Park, continuing their long dedicated tour for After The Disco, which was released back in January. It was the third time I caught them this year, with the first two being Festival sets (Governors Ball and Firefly). This was my first proper Broken Bells show, and it didn’t disappoint.

Hamilton Leithauser opened the show, but unfortunately I didn’t make it in time (I was covering Gone Girl at the NYFF for Monday Morning Matinee). Broken Bells, the duo of James Mercer and Danger Mouse have really blossomed into a full band, becoming wholesome with the addition of multi-instrumentalist Dan Elkan and drummer Jon Sortland. After such a long time spent on tour, they had the performances nailed, from the disco-fun of “After The Disco” to the more delicate pieces such as “The High Road.”

Broken Bells was once seen as a new side project between the guy from The Shins and that super producer from Gnarls Barkley, but they proved that they’re a legitimate band that has come into their own.

Setlist:

1. Perfect World
2. The Ghost Inside
3. After the Disco
4. Mongrel Heart
5. The Mall & Misery
6. The Angel and the Fool
7. Holding On for Life
8. Vaporize
9. Control
10. Meyrin Fields
11. Sailing to Nowhere
12. Medicine
13. The Changing Lights
14. Leave It Alone
15. The High Road

Encore:

16. Citizen
17. Trap Doors
18. October