Okkervil River "Westfall"

[one8012]

The Art of Flight! <3<3<3

[TurtleUnion42]

I completely agree with @jesusismothra, to me this is the essence of rock and roll. Everything about this video is so intense--the song, the subject, the performance. I've never seen Will Sheff half-ass a performance. If you want polish and pretension, go to the opera, this is a rock show.

[dwest10]

@TurtleUnion42 I think people that have seen them live understand what Will does on stage, but if I was trying to decide whether to see them for the first time and watched their videos on youtube, I would feel the same way as SuperRiscal. Their live performances do not translate well to video.

[MartinAltha]

why is he looking so damn awsome?!

hrrhrr

by the way veeeeeeery good song.

[ben030103]

i agree. i really, really love this band, but i find will sheff's stage antics pretty tiresome.

[SuperRiscal]

For me, this song/performance is enough to turn you off a great band.

[Jesusismothra]

@SuperRiscal what the fuck are you talking about? it was a performance like this that got me to love okkervil river. i grew up a metalhead and hated music like this because the pretension oozed from the songwriter's pores. then i saw okkervil river in 2007 in iowa city and it changed my entire outlook on music. the raw emotion, pure energy and getting so caught up in a moment is more metal or punk than any band i was listening to...and okkervil did it with an acoustic guitar and an accordion.

[SuperRiscal]

For me, this song/performance is enough to turn you off a great band.

[stephilou12]

my god. This is electrifying

[LillianMoon]

When I watch this, I can't help but sing along to "Evil don't look like anything."

[omiewise]

fun how he starts to play "paint it black" as a solo on the mandolin after he sings the "paint it black" lyrics.

[justsixstrings]

2:50 most epic voice crack ever.

[pringasiello]

I cant watch this over and over again and never get over how amazing it is

[pringasiello]

THEY ARE SIMPLY A.M.A.Z.I.N.G

[feralspecd]

Ryan Gorman rulz lol

[tmorris87]

I really wish the intro was included

[charliedirk]

Just fuckin cool

[nubbs]

2:26 that's how it's done, mother fuckers

[trendmedown]

A work of absolute genius

[cmcmahan72]

I like the "Paint it Black" lyrics thrown in there.

[ruffryderonline]

Such an amazing song and performance. Thanks for the post.

[2zednik0]

Umm, I forget what does evil look like again?

[ob1993s]

havent you been listening? evil dont look like anything

[tmorris87]

evil dont look like anything?

[DisfiguredCowboy]

Hot damn, this is a really, REALLY good video. Usually live videos can't really convery the energy of the performance...but...damn. Must have been an amazing show.

[championofidiots]

great. thanks for posting!

[ironseaisa]

and charles, of course

[ironseaisa]

effin brillinat. will sheff=hero

[Eviland]

This song is about a local hero from pike county illinois, His name is Brandon Westfall. He plays some guitar as well. Rumor has it that Will met Westfall and the two got into a huge fight in a bar, later that night they ended up at the same gas station and made up. Westfall told some of his life story, which can be heard in this song.

[TheAbsolutionHowl]

That's not true in the slightest.  When Will worked for the state of Texas he picked up some grisly details that weren't released to the public about the "yogurt shop murders" when some people were randomly murdered in a yogurt shop - and their wounds were pushed open and filled with frozen yogurt. Will saw one of the people that did its face in the paper and that image stuck with him because he looked like a nice upstanding citizen- he saw no evil on his face and that stuck with him Look it up

[trallala]

Okkervil were fantastic the first time I saw them, started out somewhat lacklustre the second time - but I had to leave early, and was told they exploded later in the set.

Probably the best still active band in the world right now - superb vocals/instrumental play, lyrics easily as sharp as John Darnielle's and electrifying live performances.

What a fantastic collection of musicians.

[Jesusismothra]

Jesus...what a performance.

[cricket1922]

WOW. amazing.

[clavell]

I had not heard of OR until this show. They were amazing. The New Pornographer's performance seemed lackluster after the crazy energy Will and Co. put in to the show.

When he came back out to sing Myriad Harbour, he got more noise out of the crowd than the NP managed all set.

Youtube does not do this band justice. See them live, I will be. Barrymore 9/14/08.

[TheAbsolutionHowl]

That show was the best show I've seen in my life (Barrymore).

And that's saying something.

[superwomAnn987]

This is realy amazing. I wish I was there

[circadude182]

If you planned the evil don't look like anything with no will in frame then pan down then you are absolutely brilliant!

[heartmadeofbones]

aw! this makes my heart feel crazy.

[usyanks]

badass video!