There's a New Thom Yorke in Town...and He's From Australia.

Last night I went to Denver's Ogden Theater to see a guy I've been oogling over since his hit single hit the airwaves. 

"Somebody that I Used to Know" felt like it was an overnight epidemic; the moment I heard the melody, I recognized it EVERYwhere. The name "Gotye," Wouter De Backer's stage name, seemed to permeate the air like some sort of blissful plague. The show sold out instantly, and feeling like a sardine (at least a sardine with a great spot in the crowd!) was nothing short of a clear representation of what his fan base has become: a giant wounded monster with a big bleeding heart.

I couldn't help but notice that very few songs were sang along to, save for the single, which you can't help but know even if you claim to not have listened to it. Everyone in the crowd swayed, screamed, or quietly worded the lyrics along…though based on the volume, it was clear that most people were competing with Gotye for them, as though they wanted to prove that those words belonged to them now. Understandably so, considering the context of the track. However, with the powerful emotions of the artist being projected behind him on a large white screen, it became all the more obvious that this single song that could have otherwise been called "You Bruised My Ego and Now I'm Kinda Sad" was the one that hit people the hardest, perhaps because it's entirely too easy to relate to.

The other songs heard last night such as "Eyes Wide Open," "Smoke and Mirrors," "Easy Way Out," and "State of the Art" (links to video clips used during live performance) to name a few, seemed to go over peoples heads. They went over mine, until I had the visual aspect of each song paired with clear audio and seriously high energy. By the middle of the set, I was crying inside for Kimbra to come back out and sing me a soulful pop lullaby, assuring me that there was nothing to worry about, that love is all I need, and that Gotye was just a bad fit of reality. It didn't happen. Until of course she made her way into that reality, as the spurned lover in their duet single. Oh no, she's part of this truth too?! Well, naturally.

Having her perform first was like having dessert before your broccoli. So easy to take in, enjoyable, amazing even, and then comes the pain- as represented in Gotye's music and complimentary animation for each song. Both are important, the sweet and the sour, but this spoon full of sugar was taken just a moment before the medicine, not after. The world is burning. We watch it burn. Hearts are being shredded. Minds are empty. Life is a crashing disappointment, and carelessness reigns supreme. Of course not all of his songs are this depressing. He managed to shift the mood from time to time with tracks like, "In Your Light" and "I Feel Better," but more than anything, last night made me see how big of a heart this man has, and how wide he views the world and it's current state.

The combination of Kimbra and Gotye took me back to a time of pop-musical genius and honesty. I couldn't help but be reminded of my times seeing Radiohead and Björk and how completely all-encompassing it was. These are the kind of artists that demand attention, but only by being themselves. Kimbra, the little porcelain doll possessed by the soul of James Brown, practically oozed kindness, freedom, compassion and fierce joy. Gotye on the other hand, represents the process of youth growing up. Not by becoming a suit, or a successful family man, but by exposing truths hidden in plain sight, and through a common artistic vein that runs through everyone. Music is a conduit, and he's using it in one of the best ways possible. Not so much to witness the rockstar that is himself, but as a prophet, bearing words to see more than hear.

I left the show feeling provoked (not just by the drunk girls in the crowd), and ready to take life on a little bit more. This is the feeling that says "yes, that experience was worth it." I wish I could say thanks to Gotye and Kimbra for bringing such wisdom to the Ogden last night. Hopefully they can sense the impact they're leaving, just by singing a song.
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