SLCene Suggests: Beck at Twilight Concert Series

BECK, PIONEER PARK, Thursday, Aug. 14, 7 p.m., $5

Given that Beck’s latest album, Morning Phase, is a mellow collection of easy-listening tunes in the same vein as his excellent 2002 Sea Change album, the man might not seem like a natural choice for the noisy festival-like environment of Pioneer Park for a Twilight Concert Series show. But the man has a long history of rocking festival crowds with greatest-hits sets that showcase one of the more unlikely careers in modern rock music. While much of his new album is full of gentle, reflective reveries, Beck has bounced between garage-rock, hip-hop, funk, soul, R&B and folk over the years since he burst on the scene with “Loser.” When that song hit the so-called “alternative” airwaves back in 1993, it seemed like it had “one-hit wonder” written all over it. Instead, Beck set off on a brilliant string of releases including Odelay and Mutations, and even when his albums aren’t consistently great, they are always worth a listen to see what Beck is up to. One area where he is always consistent is his live shows–Beck is a great performer who always has a top-notch band on hand to deliver the goods. Future Islands open the show.