Beck
Greek Theatre, Berkeley
July 10, 2024
Photos by Nicole Baptista
Backed by the Berkeley Symphony, Beck graced the Greek Theatre’s stage to play some hits, honor his musical inspirations, and celebrate his birthday. The stone coliseum was filled to the brim with beaming fans as the orchestra played a beautiful rendition of “Cycle.” Strapped with a guitar and a big fat smile, Beck kicked off an unforgettable evening with “The Golden Age.”
Bouncing from soothing tunes like “Lonesome Tears” and “Lost Cause” to poppy anthems “Where It’s At” and “The New Pollution,” he swayed with his guitar, serenaded the crowd, and busted out some iconic dance moves. Fans cusped their chins, hugged their partners, and even twirled and danced in the walkways.
In between songs he told stories, talked to the crowd, and played some of his favorite orchestral songs, like “Tarantula,” a Colourbox cover from the Roma score. Backed by wind, string, brass, and percussion, each rendition felt enormous, invading even. The vibration crept up your arms, into your chest, and somehow connected to the dark open sky above.
He even dedicated “We Live Again” to the late French singer Francoise Hardy, after telling a charming story about their first interaction years ago. That’s what Beck is. A storyteller. In his lyrics, his movements, his dedication to what’s come before him. The ‘90s alt-rock music icon also dropped by SFMOMA’s audio temple to play a three-hour vinyl set the next day. All part of the “Art of Noise” exhibit, where he spun hand-picked records (even some personal ones) for a crowd of 100 people.
Beck is also a multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He’s crossed a wide array of genres—including folk, alt rock, pop, soul, hip-hop, electronica, and psychedelia—and released 14 studio albums.
Dressed in a tailored black suit, white shirt, and shiny black dancing shoes, he spent the evening moving around the stage, anchored by a symphony and multicolored light. After 20 songs, the symphony walked off stage, leaving only Beck and his band behind. He roamed through the empty chairs and he talked through each discovery on stage. Stripping it down to just him and his guitar, he played “One Foot in the Grave” before bringing things full circle with “ Devil’s Haircut,” a rendition of “Happy Birthday,” and “Loser.”
