Andrew Bird (Live at Manchester Academy)

Going into something with high expectations is often a mistake. I learned this lesson with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's live show and Indian food in England. When Andrew Bird came to town last Wednesday, my expectations were through the roof for the following reasons: A) I had been given a rousing review from Laura, who saw him a week ago in Lyon B) I've seen him before, in what was an awe-inspiring solo performance C) His new album "Noble Beast" is his best yet.

It's worth noting that Manchester Academy has three different venues. Academy 1 (the biggest) had no one playing that night. At Academy 2, Little Boots was performing. Bird got the shaft with the smallest venue, Academy 3. Being that his show was sold out, someone explain this to me.

Opening for Bird was an uninspiring Cortney Tidwell, who I've seen popping up on blogs recently. Her singing was of the prepubescant Regina Spektor crap that is oh so popular today. The blossoming folk singer Laura Marling had just finished touring with Bird, so to be replaced by Tidwell was a little disheartening.

Andrew Bird delivered, as expected. He came on by himself and layered instrument, voice and whistles together so beautifully that it was actually a pleasure watching those around me who were seeing this for the first time. It's hard to grasp his natural talents from his studio work, so to see him live leaves you breathless.

The addition of his full band gave Bird's songs much more depth than he could re-create himself and seeing percussionist DOSH in action was an added bonus. The highlight of the night was "Natural Disaster", an airy track from "Nobel Beast" that rocks in a chair on a porch somewhere in the southern United States. "Imitosis" best showcased all of Bird's talents as he volleyed between violin, guitar, xylophone, whistling and singing.

Beyond all his musical talents, Bird's lyrical expertize stands out in his live performances. Like a poet reciting his lines for the first time in a coffee shop, Bird delivers each phrase with dramatic concern and the audience responses as if they've never heard these words before. After reading brilliant posts he's made for the New York Times (particularly the one detailing the process of writing "Oh No"), it's safe to consider his work as a whole nothing short of genius.

It's impossible to expect too much from Andrew Bird in his live performance because his audiences will always underestimate him. At least for now. If anything, you'll be sure to leave whistling the rest of the night.

Video I recorded of "Why?" (It's a little better if you click HQ)