Holly and I went to see the Magnetic Fields on Saturday. They were playing at the Meymandi Concert Hall at the Progress Energy Performing Arts Center. I have to admit that Holly and I hadn’t really payed much attention to the last MagFields album. We were mostly going due to the strength of past work and probably weren’t as excited about the show as we should’ve been.

So… the show was wonderful. They played a lot of old favorites and several tunes that I wasn’t familiar with, but really enjoyed. Every bit of the show was entertaining.  Stephin and Claudia carry on like an old married couple… a bit barbed, a bit sweet. And no matter how much you might be prepared for it, Stephin’s voice is amazing live.

About ½ way through Take Ecstasy With Me, the power to the entire auditorium dropped out. Near-total darkness. Sam didn’t miss a beat on the percussive cello part he was playing and the band segued into a bit of a bridge as the safety lights came back on… then the house lights… finally the sound board. Professional.