THE MAGNETIC FIELDS IN CONCERT:
Indie darlings The Magnetic Fields have been captivating fans with their singular sound and mesmerizing live performances for more than two decades. With a deep catalog spanning everything from lo-fi synth tunes to majestic chamber pop masterpieces, the band is anything but predictable, and their live shows always take fans on an emotional journey. The Fields' chief creative force is Stephin Merritt, a booming and melancholic baritone known for his idiosyncrasies – he only wears brown, he's bitingly sarcastic, and he suffers from hyperacusis, a rare hearing condition that has left him extremely sensitive to loud noise. Rather than hamper the show, Merritt's condition has made the band's performances even more unique and wondrous, leading them to favor a stripped-down setup consisting of acoustic instruments and limited percussion. The result is a hushed, haunting experience that showcases Merritt's dazzling songwriting prowess and holds fans in rapt attention until the very last note.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
The Magnetic Fields began in the early '90s as the bedroom recording project of Stephin Merritt, a Boston-based musician who started penning tunes during junior high after discovering Swedish pop superstars ABBA. Merritt's first two releases under the moniker, 1991's Distant Plastic Trees and 1992's The Wayward Bus, featured lead vocals by Susan Anyway, but by 1994's The Charm of the Highway Strip Merritt had taken over vocal responsibilities. After parting ways with Anyway, Merritt put together a full band for a pair of mid-'90s albums, but The Magnetic Fields didn't find widespread success until 1999's Love Songs, a critical masterstroke that made them indie darlings virtually overnight. Since then the band has continued to court critical acclaim with stellar releases like 2008's Distortion and 2012's Love at the Bottom of the Sea. With The Magnetic Fields' 11th album 50 Song Memoir slated to drop in early 2017 (their first record in five years), the band has ticket buyers eagerly awaiting their return to the stage in support of the release.