We had made an appointment at The Low Anthem in the main concourse of Grand Central Station. The group had spent most of the year 2009 on the road, their hair was longer, their eyes a little swollen. But their instruments, the guitar of Ben, accordion Matt, the shaker of Jocie - boxes of capsules held together by rubber bands - never leave them. The Low Anthem was heated by playing “Apothecary”, a song that appears on any of their albums. And today, New York, security being what it is in public places, difficult not to get knocked out after a few minutes. But perhaps it was something in the air that day, at least the guards had left the band playing, the camera running, and the public approach. During the next few minutes, we were all bound by the same experience.

The Low Anthem - Apothecary - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

It was soon rush hour, so I took the group at Pier 66 on the Hudson River, where there is an old abandoned car Lackawanna. They were brought from other instruments, clarinets and horns, a portable organ, a harmonium, and mobile phones on speaker for recording and playing loops. Here, when I lit the oil lamp, I felt that the Low Anthem were in their element.

Low Anthem - This God Damned House - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.