“The Sun Machine is coming down, and we’re gonna have a party.” -David Bowie

That closing line from David Bowie’s “Memory of a Free Festival” capped what is undoubtably one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended. The Polyphonic Spree played a long set full of fantastic new material and wonderful surprises, and I couldn’t have been happier.

The band came out and lept staight into “Running Away,” the inspired, uplifting first single from their upcoming album The Fragile Army. Tim was clearly into the tune and it showed in his performance; it’s quite possible he likes the song almost as much as I do.

Clad in their new black uniforms, the Spree really put on the kind of show their fans dream about. During the start of “Soldier Girl,” Tim spotted one kid in the front row who had made his own fragile army uniform. He pulled the new recruit up and let him sing most of the song before joining him for the close.

After tearing through new and old songs, the Spree walked off stage one by one. After a while, cheers erupted from the back of the room when they made their way through the crowd in robes, some members holding their instruments aloft.

The robe-clad encore is probably going to forever be one of my favorite concert memories. They played three of my favorite songs one after another (”Everything Starts at the Seam,” “When the Fool Becomes a King,” “Light and Day”) before giving way to the closing Bowie number.

It was perfect.

Lots more photos and full setlist after the break.

The Polyphonic Spree @ City Hall, Nashville TN 5.7.07
American Dream
Running Away
Hanging Around
Get Up and Go
Hold Me Now
Sun
Light to Follow
Justify
Soldier
La La / Middle
Fragile Army / Left Them
Championship
-encore w/robes-
Together We’re Heavy
Seam / King
Light and Day
Sun Machine (David Bowie)