Okkervil River - 07 - John Allyn Smith Sails [Pro-Shot]

[kungarike]

About him being self-centered on stage, I saw him in Gothenburg (Sweden) about a month ago and he wasn't acting like a douchebag at all. He was very kind and appreciative of the audience. Kudos to the whole band. They're a fantastic one.

[RabiLavi]

is that Louis Theroux in the audience at 3.14?

[TheRiddlingSeahorse]

Sheff's not a douchebag.Yeah he acts like an arrogant rock star on stage but it's all tongue-in-cheek bravado (which used to be funnier when he was a struggling musician and not an actual rock star). It was funny when it subverted the audience's expectation of some struggling guy with his sad songs, like a kind of twisted, self-deprecating joke. Now that he's kind of famous it would be refreshing if he gave up the act, because it feeds into people's expectation of how arrogant rock stars are.

[unmemorablehero]

what an amazing way to write a song about john beerryman (John allyn smith) and turn it into Sloop John B.

The amount of thought and effort it took to put that all together blows my mind.

[snoutingvelvetdingle]

As much as I'm convinced of Will Sheff/Okkervil River's brilliance, there a certain flavor of douchebaggery that's unmistakable in Sheff's live delivery, mannerisms, facial expressions, etc. Sure, it's probably just an irrational aversion of mine to his personality...

But there's really something to it. It adds a sorta ponderousness that's thankfully not there in the studio recordings.

The inordinate amount of stunning broads in this video, however, suggests he's doing something right.

[GeorgeMaj15]

I laughed out loud when he said "This is a song John Barrymore ripped off from us." Excellent song.

[facehead93]

@GeorgeMaj15 no one in the crowd even understands the joke!

[killafromthecold]

@facehead93 just goes to show the average intelligence of a typical audience

[Antics79]

@killafromthecold Or the up-beat tempo of the song.

[ChillpointNews]

I wanna be a back up singer like in 4:27, so awesome. I'm a fan of Okkervil River's Westfall and John Allyn Smith, but the other songs by the band doesn't have the same quality as those two. And I can't help but thinking the singer looks like a douche, lol.

[josch85]

Great performance. I wish I would've been there. I love how they're shaking hands in the middle of the song.

[rwallacegoldaline]

As always* OR should have a contract with them by now. I wanna see okkervil river on jameson bottles.

[rwallacegoldaline]

It's hysterical, but will looks like he has down syndrome when they close up on his face, doesn't change anything, still have a flaming man crush.

1:27

JAMESON!!! Always, have the same bottle half finished as i write this! I feel so connected it's ridiculous!! I love okkervil river.

[realtheloniuscrunk]

@rwallacegoldaline i was thinking he looks as though he has downs' syndrome as well...

[DivisibleByZer0]

I love how so many people are smiling (including will) when the song starts off with a line about suicide.

[thesoulbreath]

ok, it was clearly sarcastic and I guess it says that stuff as a tribute to berryman. but stop insulting each other, we don't need shitty arguing around here.

[Uprisingdownfall]

Seeing as this song's from an album dedicated to the "fucked up" lifestyle of the rock 'n roll artist, it would only be appropriate for him to be acting a little strange. And whether or not it was sarcasm, you have to admit it was funny the way he said it.

[garcheeze]

your fucking morons. of course it was sarcastic he wasnt even alive in 72. if your an english major i would think you could recognize sarcasm. moron

[Assaultpredator]

hahhahaha

[unhappytobehere]

It really doesnt take much research to find out that Berryman/Smith died in January 1972, and that it is a story of his suicide.

[unhappytobehere]

And if "your" and English major you would know that "your" is not the correct form to use in context. Stupid.

[tschutz29]

your? get educated dipshit.

[genericemokid5]

wait

Maybe John Berryman built a time machine

OF COURSE ITS SARCASM

god some people are stupid

[blondeinthebleacher]

Yes...it was just sarcasm. And after driving 16 hrs with no sleep and doing back to back shows, you would be a little fucked up too.

[mateus2]

He's just fucked up.

[mediumsteve]

Will Sheff is a goofy looking dude

[whotookaegir]

He looks trashed.

[denouement5]

"You're all beautiful"...he's probably pretty fucked up.

[tom0033]

"i'd like to dedicate this song to the dogs (?) that are in attendance today, i see them around wandering hither and thither, all very adorable"

[TheAbsolutionHowl]

"...this is a song John Berryman ripped off from us."

Yeah, I'd say he's at least a little drunk.

[bigtwoheartedriver]

This song is about John Berryman (aka John Allyn Smith).

[TheAbsolutionHowl]

I got that. I'd be ashamed if I didn't as an English major whose largest area of interest is beat poetry (and songwriting.)

My point was that since John Berryman DIED in 1972 it would have been very difficult for him to have ripped off Will and Co.

Maybe it was a joke, but it was said with a tone of what I took as urgent sincerity,

I probably just overthought it.

Oh well!

[bigtwoheartedriver]

Gotcha. I just thought he was being sarcastic but who knows!

[Spindlework]

All Okkervil fans are beautiful though.