Canadian greats New Pornographers are are currently on short tour where they're playing two night stands in cities, with back-to-front performances of their 2001 album Mass Romantic and 2005's Twin Cinema on different nights. The shows are extra special in that they feature both Dan Bejar, who hasn't featured on a NP album since 2014's Brill Bruisers, and Neko Case, making for a rare convergence, along with AC Newman, of the group's primary creative forces and vocalists.
The tour hit NYC over the weekend at Webster Hall, with Friday getting Mass Romantic and Saturday getting Twin Cinema. Both shows featured almost identical second sets featuring "Myriad Harbour," "Champions of Red Wine," "Whiteout Conditions," "Brill Bruisers," and more. There were a few differences: Friday's show got Bejar's "Born with a Sound," while Saturday got his "War on the East Coast" as well as "The Laws Have Changed," which was on Friday's printed setlist but wasn't played.
Aoife Nessa Frances opened both shows. Check out photos from the Twin Cinema night by Ben Stas, along with setlists and fan-shot video from both nights, in this post.
Mass Romantic is getting a 20th anniversary reissue this Friday and comes with a bonus 7" -- pick that up in the BV shop.
SETLIST: The New Pornographers @ Webster Hall 12/3/2021 Mass Romantic
Mass Romantic
The Fake Headlines
The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism
Mystery Hours
Jackie
Letter From an Occupant
To Wild Homes
The Body Says No
Execution Day
Centre for Holy Wars
The Mary Martin Show
Breakin' the Law
Second set:
Myriad Harbour
Champions of Red Wine
Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile
Testament to Youth in Verse
Whiteout Conditions
Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk
Born With a Sound
Brill Bruisers
The Spirit of Giving
SETLIST: The New Pornographers @ Webster Hall 12/4/2021 Twin Cinema
Twin Cinema
The Bones of an Idol
Use It
The Bleeding Heart Show
Jackie, Dressed in Cobras
The Jessica Numbers
These are the Fables
Sing Me Spanish Techno
Falling Through Your Clothes
Broken Breads
Three or Four
Star Bodies
Streets of Fire
Stacked Crooked
Second set:
Myriad Harbour
Champions of Red Wine
All the Old Showstoppers
Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile
The Spirit of Giving
Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk
War On the East Coast
Whiteout Conditions
The Laws Have Changed
Testament to Youth in Verse
