I’ve seen Andrew Bird seven times in the past two years, and his performance at the Brown Theater in Louisville was by far the best. On the way up, I was telling my friend who’d never seen him that she really should catch him when he’s touring without a bassist (which I assumed he still was). I told her that half the fun of an Andrew Bird show is watching him piece each song together with plucks, strums, bows and taps to his violin. So when we sat down and saw that there was no drum kit, I’ll admit that I got a bit giddy.

MP3: Andrew Bird – Scythian Empire

After taking the stage in swanky attire, Bird told us that he was going to take the opportunity to break out some songs that he rarely performed live anymore. And that he did. While he eschewed my favorite live song of his, “Skin Is, My,” we did get “Weather Systems,” “Sovay,” “Action/Adventure,” and a cover of the Handsome Family’s “Giant of Illinois.”