The Decemberists - Live @ Portland, OR Obama Rally

[chunkstar01]

Awesome two my favorie songs!

[rezmoneynwkubs]

really makes me sad when the bands i like are liberal faggots. but decemberists rule too much to care about that.

[yassymeeny]

they're scaring away all prospective voters.

[snarkthenews]

isn't this a commie band?

[billken1333]

fuck you. An Amazing band from an amazing city. Portland is loads better then the shit hole you crawled out of.

[jasonmathias]

Shitty band from an even shittier city! Portland blows.

[heidegger1243]

you fucking idiots (i'm addressing the band and all the fans and haters of this band). the decemberist revolt of 1825 was NOT a communist revolt, and a fortiori NOT a marxist revolt.. the bolsheviks took power in october (old calendar) 1917, and heroes of that revolt were called "octoberists." the band doesn't even seem to understand this, based on interviews i've seen of theirs

[HeyWingz]

maybe you dont understand it.

get your facts straight and do research before posting garbage.

[amodelqueso]

Hey in speaking of fucking idiots (i.e YOU), they named themselves after the decemberist revolt in full knowledge it wasn't a commie revolt. Who in their right minds WOULD?

Plus it's a band with good music, who gives a fuck about their name anyways?

[ofbestfit]

decemberists are my third favorite band next to death cab for cutie and american analog anyone heard the blur meloy/gibbard cover?

[silv3rbull3t4]

stupid pro commy band

[summermainstreet]

Actually, The Decemberists are my favorite band, and I'm not calling them Communist. I think their name refers as much to the last, cold month of the year as it does to the Communist Revolt. I just felt compelled to respond to all of the Communist posts here....Colin Meloy is too intelligent and funny to be a Commie.

[summermainstreet]

Communism...a great philosophy for a perfect world. I don't understand artists who embrace Communism, as they would be stifled under this oppressive system. Check out the story of Eldridge Cleaver (a Black Panthers founder). After nearly eight years as an exile in Communist and Socialist countries, he asked to return to the U.S. No longer an atheist or a Communist, he said he'd rather be in prison here than be "free" in any Communist Country. We are all blessed to be here, as he discovered.

[Godcallsmeevil]

thanks for posting this!

[YarnDarner]

I wanted to say something about communism that i think is a misconception. Communism was originally a philosophical/economic idea and marx and engels seemed to think that the proletariat should rule, which is not what actually seems to go on in a communist state, so the communism that is enacted is not the only type that exists, it is a feasible system, it only needs to be implemented correctly

[HeyWingz]

You are correct.

[heidegger1243]

good. i'm not trying to just be a huge cock but am actually concerned that people will get a distorted view of history

[LavaMountainKat]

Fuck Obama, Fuck Mccain, Fuck the Left and Right because they are both corrupt and two arms on the same monster.

[aureola2]

Its time to get a multiple party system eh??

[Phantarch]

Decemberists= my fave band ever

Glad they went for Obama rather than McCain, but I din't really have any doubt. They saw what the Bush administration did to America and beyond. Let's be realistic though, yes Obama is probably going to have a better run than Bush (not to say a lot) but, perhaps contrary to perception, he's not the messiah, he's (*resists temptation to say "a very naughty boy"*) only human. Whatever the case, I hope he does live up to most of what's being said of him.

[DecliningHolden]

I highly doubt Stephen Colbert voted for John McCain.

As for the Decemberists, they're wonderful. Probably one of my top 5 bands ever.

[psmrman90]

colbert voted for mccain, aka conservative

[doctorxsandwich]

You do know that Stephen Colbert is actually a liberal and John Stewart is, in truth, a conservative, right?

Besides, it hardly matters which party rules; neither get anything done, anyway.

[aureola2]

haha their both librals u tard, especially john stewart, hes the one that stops being funny somtimes to argue his liberal points

[XtylerwithasilentX]

are these new songs?

[gnarlsoddcouple]

no

the 1st is July, July! from Castaways and Cutouts.

and the second is The Engine Driver from Picaresque

[Richter0Abend]

Strange, I thought The Decemberists were conservative guys (as they were on "The Colbert Report" a year age). I guess they didn't want to get bashed or anything, if asked who they were voting for. I don't really want to see them in politics, since they are a good indie-folk band (and one of my favorites bands, along side of DCFC).

[BillReef]

duh, It's called sarcasm. And they wondered why Bush trashed America.

[cooper9821]

First off, if someone is on the Colbert Report, I think that has no display of their political preferences whatsoever. Also, when they played in Portland in the Winter of 07-08they voiced their support for Barack Obama. And The Decemberists are one of my favorite bands as well.

[gomeltback]

Colbert report is a satire on republican commentators like rush limbaugh. It is in no way, shape, or form a conservative show. Think of it this way- have you EVER seen a conservative show on Comedy Central? I hope you haven't been watching colbert report all this time thinking he was serious!?

[gomeltback]

Also, being a good "indie-folk band", so to speak is about making real music and being real people. What's real about censoring ones political beliefs? I'd like to see everyone who feels like getting into politics get into politics... otherwise, what's the point of having a mind?

[DonZabu]

It's a good thing that they opened for Obama.

Good publicity for the band.

[madru93]

and for Obama (lol)

[danapdutcher]

I was in Portland this summer. A bunch of liberal whiners for the most part but a great city.

[artsandcommunism]

ha-ha. Whining about whiners. I love the irony.

[thewho118]

i'm so happy the best band on earth. loves the greatest man on earth.(Obama).

[Vabulous1]

I agree- best band I don't know about best man on the earth (best candidate for sure,)although, maybe...

[arianara4ever]

decemberists=communist check the colin meloy life.colin ideas etc.

[milespieri]

You're a moron.

Next...

[arianara4ever]

...because i said the truth?i know decemberists is very good band and you do not want decemberists=communists but this is a fact.I Said Again check the colin meloy life and check the other member of this band

[milespieri]

No, you're a moron for thinking it even matters. Like "Ooohhh scary....Colin Meloy is a communist!". I mean, so what? Do you even understand the basic tenets of communism? Do you? If I posted a comment that the Jonas Brothers were capitalists, would anyone care?

Exactly.

[arianara4ever]

and plz talk batter...

[milespieri]

talk batter? I'm sorry, what? You want me to tell you how to make Yorkshire Pudding?

[Reed182]

milespieri stfu plz... arianara4ever have right in my opinion and you dont now arianara4ever just talk better..

[milespieri]

arianara has a right to an opinion and I don't? Wow...just wow....I never knew Decemberists fans could be such fucking morons.

So now we've moved from communism to fascism have we?

Jesus, Americans can be fucking stupid.

[arianara4ever]

Don't want to be an American idiot(Green Day)..and you are american pfff im from germany i h8 communist but i know that colin meloy is communist here discuss this if decemberists is communist you finish high school or something? reed first and post so simple...

[milespieri]

Ummm....I'm American??? Well, that'll come as a shock to my family. If you're equating what passed for Communism in the former eastern bloc (where I've lived, btw, in Hungary) with actual communism then I see why you hate it. However, I still fail to understand what the hell you're talking about and I'm rather bored with this 'discussion' now.

I'm not interested in arguing on the net with, what I assume can only be, an angsty teen whose mastery of English is so poor.

[OhioGuy19]

The idea of "communism has never existed in the true form" is something that communists say simply so they can write themselves a blank check to "try again" and in the process kill another 100 million of their political enemies.

If I said "Nazism in it's true form has never existed" the implication is "it would be a great thing, give it another chance" nobody would take such a remark seriously.

The world has seen the horrors of true communism, the only communism there is.

[czarpeppers]

There's a big difference, the essence of National Socialism is exactly what happened in Germany. What happened in the Soviet Union, and most other communist states for that matter, goes against everything communism stands for. A more accurate term for those regimes would be bureaucratic collectivism, or state capitalism, as Lenin coined himself, which are far from communism.

[arianara4ever]

lol omfg check the other msg and after you can post discuss here if decemberists is communist... dont care about the politic views of this band.Yes i know the communist tenets

[czarpeppers]

Oh no, communism, may the ineptness of American politics save us from such a fate.

[delawareindahouse]

yeah, shitty indy rock, they should open every obama speech.

fuck communism.

[cloxwork]

Yes, because communism is the root of every evil that exists in the world, and we must be saved from it and rid the country of all bands who even have a smidgen of support for it.

stupidd....

good songs though.

[YarnDarner]

i wouldn't exactly say that its the root of every evil that exists, we share the evil with them, and do just as many evil things as a result of our our global capitalilism

[Infinity161]

Yes! Vote for Slick Barry and let's turn America into a shit Communist country!!!

[lovefromeponine]

Obama '08; All the cool kids are doing it

[smartstuff2buy]

i heard online that this band plays the old soviet national anthem before each show, talking and endorsing communism. give me your comments after you have verified this information.

[bdogg879]

I have seen them live and I can assure this does not happen.

The band is fantastic though!

[bdogg879]

Well I seemingly stand corrected....well they didnt at the show that I was at....or perhaps they did and I wasn't aware of what was playing. My bad.

The band remains fantastic. And no I am not a communist. :)

[PartyCheetos]

2 of the shows i've gone to, they've played it

1 show, they didnt..

it really doesnt mean they are endorsing communism, its because their name comes from the famous Decemberists revolt.

[cloxwork]

What in the world is so bad about soviets?

Seriously, you guys need to get out of the old mentality. They play it because the name of their comes from the Soviet Revolt in history. Does it mean they endorse communism? Maybe...does it matter? no. Why? it's a free country. They're not saying genocide is good or something stupid like that.

[beeeebeep]

THAT IS AWESOME!

<3 Obama

<3 Decemberists

[apricotzombie]

what time did you get there? crazy how many people showed up. crazy Oregonians.

[DonZabu]

We're indeed crazy, and proud of it.

[NewHampshireDove]

This is the coolest.

[JoeMyspace13]

What the hell its just music!

All of you just calm down! Seriously!

Its like at the superbowl , before the show people wait a long time and so they bring in bands to entertain them!

A lot of candidates do this to keep people entertained while they wait in the 90 degree heat!

[arsitktana]

God, I wish I could've been there. I had tickets for their first set of shows at the Crystal before they cancelled their tour and then left state a week before they played. D:

[frankclau]

Do you guys know that the Decembrists usualy open their gigs by playing the National Anthem?

Of the SOVIET UNION!!!!!

Obama chose them? What was he thinking? Maybe, the same way he usually thinks, like a socialist.

Wake-UP people!!!! BO is NOT a good choice for president. He has shown TERRIBLE JUDGMENT!

[leonardbast2008]

@frankclau:

You do yourself a disservice by making blowhard comments that make you look like an unthinking chauvinist. Perhaps you need another seven semesters of law school to hone your analysis.

[frankclau]

leny, leny, leny,

Law school does not make one smart, look at BO, MO, HC and BC! My job is the envy of many a lawyer and needs good judgment and experience, something that BO clearly lacks.

There is nothing chauvinist about saying the truth, if you don't like it, then too bad, this does not change the facts, BO has proven through his actions that he leans heavily to the left, there is no denying this.

[narutothedobe]

i have been to many decemberists concerts and i can assure you they do not do that

[alessfatalshore]

It's because the Decemberists are big Obama endorsers, Portlanders as well. Don't be confused. It's an excellent two-for-one deal, that's all that matters. I'm so glad they're still playing July, July! Hadn't heard that one in a while.

[Jdlifsey]

What is the purpose of having a band at a political campaign event (as if it were a concert)? Could Obama not bring a crowd without the band? Could the band not bring the crowd without Obama? Is Obama sitting "back stage" hoping they perform well enough for all those in attendance to like the band well enough so they'll vote for him? Am I supposed to be that much more impressed with Obama because of how well the band performed?

[AnonCentralCoast]

This band is known for being pro Soviet Union. What a great way for Barack to show his true colors.

[cahutchins]

"Pro Soviet Union?" What does that even mean? The Decemberists have occasionally appropriated Soviet imagery or aesthetics, that doesn't make them Communists.

Your assertion is like saying "Jude Law hates black people" because he played a Confederate soldier in a Civil War movie.

[ClearJack]

Wrong. They sometimes make allusions to the Soviet Union, but that's because they took their name from the Decemberist revolution, not because they are communists.

[FranklyMisterShankly]

I heard about this on NPR, but didn't know anyone actually captured the video. Thanks for posting!

[Profsportster]

I never heard the Decembrist opened Obama's road show. That was conveniently left out of ever report on his crowd pleas'n gig.

[dedonuka]

Well, I wasn't there so I can't say. But, if you notice the pan shot at 3:25, there's not quite 75,000 watching the band. So, great as this music is, Obama may deserve some credit for the huge crowd.

[Profsportster]

Obama has proven a genuinely successful speaker/politician/performer and I'm certain he would have pulled down large numbers even with out the Decembrists. However, I'm simply pointing out the usual: American Media tailors stories and massages their chosen elements out of the covered event. The are dishonest, choosing to insult my intel' rather than provide information. Fortunately, there be the internet, talk radio, and shortwave to allow me bypass that logjam of held-back information.

[Profsportster]

One note: Other political celebrants (i.e. Hitler, Pope JP II, Kooky Komeimi, Kim Jong Il) have gathered psychophants and worshipers in far lager numbers without nary a rock band in view.

[greenjellotastesgood]

Thanks for taping this, i was there but chose to sit next to obama. So I couldn'r even see them even though they sounded great.

[aminotyours]

awesome! thank you so much. i was at work all day and missed the political / musical goodness. :[

[Justinhawthorne]

I just have some photos, these are the two songs I recorded...sorry. My friend has the playlist, if you're interested, I can link you to his flickr account.

[mcnole65]

Please link me to your friends flickr account.

[Banebones]

Thanks for putting these up, was so bummed to of missed them play! I think I was winding around 5th and Taylor around this time. :(

Do you have any more of what they played?