She & Him, the unique power duo of M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel, completely took over The Glass House in Pomona last Thursday night, and it was quite a sight to see. The security has never been as tight, due of course, to the high profile of the musicians. Most of their songs can be described as modern indie rock versions of ‘50s and ‘60s pop ballads. As such, the usual GH crowd of t-shirts, jeans, and Converse was replaced by a mob of vintage dresses, velour sport coats, tights, and Tom’s. The line to get into the all-ages venue was wrapped around the block, with the occasional disappointed attendee leaving the line to bring a camera back to the car. Per the artist, no photography or video of any kind was to be taken… Sure. A few of the songs performed were up on YouTube the very next day. 
Upon entering, concertgoers either made a beeline for the bathroom (after waiting for an hour or more in line) or for the merch table. On sale were cute little totes, tees, CDs, and LPs. Though stuck behind a slew of people taking their time trying on shirts and comparing sizes, a sweet sound could be heard wafting into the foyer from the main stage room. The Chapin Sisters had begun their performance as the opening act. Usually a trio, real-life sisters Lily Chapin, Abigail Chapin, and Jessica Craven live and play in Los Angeles. Craven decided to stay behind on this tour in order to spend some quality time with her new baby, and the result was a well-done folk set from Lily and Abigail Chapin. Their voices were those of angels, and the harmonies and melodies were quite euphonious. It may have been a little too mellow, however, for those eager to see the headlining act. Dubbed by one attendee as the “Chapin chatter”, the opening act was incredibly distracting to those that actually wanted to watch perfectly capable musicians do their thing. The Sisters would probably have a better and more respectful audience in a Hotel Café environment. Still managing to leave an impression on some, they will be finishing out the She & Him tour, in addition to a couple dates with I See Hawks in LA at the end of May.
After waiting for what seemed like forever between performers, She & Him finally made their way onto the stage along with their backing band, which included bassist Matt Brown and guitarist Mike Coykendall. Lily and Abigail Chapin came back out to provide the backing vocals for the show, and the crowd went nuts as the lovely Deschanel and folk monster Ward appeared. Deschanel asked the audience, “Did you all know that today is High Five Day? Happy High Five Day!” As she put her hands in the air, palms out to the fans, she said, “That’s for all of you.” The band powered through an hour of songs, a mix of their first album, Volume 1, and recent sophomore release, Volume 2, plus a 3-song encore. The soft-spoken Ward reached out to the fans as well, commenting, “I recognize a lot of you from tomorrow. At least I think I do.” The band played the following night at the much-anticipated Coachella music festival. For the most part, Ward was the silent partner of the night, save for the rocking guitar solos every now and again, as well as his vocal contributions on several songs. As soon as that deep voice hit the microphone, girls screamed and swooned: a concertgoer likened it to a Beatles concert. He emanates a sexy quality that might not be obvious unless seen live. Of course, he was not the only musician making fans faint; Deschanel received flowers in the middle of the set, to which she responded, “Most people wait till after the show,” and throughout the performance, many a young man yelled out, “I love you, Zooey!” and “You look beautiful, Zooey!”
A highlight of the show included the duo’s performance of “Brand New Shoes,” a track off of Volume 2. For this song, the backing band left the stage, giving Ward and Deschanel a seemingly more intimate experience with the audience in order to play such a delicate song. It was one of those points in a show where you thank all that is holy for music, fans, and live performances. The entire Glass House was silent except for the gentle sounds of Ward’s guitar and Deschanel’s vulnerable voice; quite a difference from the earlier “Chapin chatter.” All attention was focused on the pair and the words being communicated: “I had some brand new shoes/They were all red, but they gave me the blues/And they’re running away and they left me a letter/It’s just like you told me it’d be…it’s nothing at all.” It was a truly beautiful moment in the midst of all the general hubbub of such a large show.
For more information on She & Him, go to their official website at www.SheAndHim.com.
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