Okkervil River returned to late night TV last night with a performance of "Rider" on the Late Show With David Letterman. Unless I'm mistaken, their previous performance was back in January when they premiered "Wake & Be Fine" on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon with some help from Questlove and A.C. Newman.
With that in mind, Okkervil River damn well had better brought it last night to top their Fallon performance. And to say they did would be an understatement. They filled the stage with 10 players, three of which provided percussion through traditional instruments and hand claps. It made for a spirited, rousing take on "Rider," which sounds slightly better here than it does on the album. You can thank the live energy for that.
Okkervil River's latest, I Am Very Far, is out now.
