……
On April 3, 2008, Beirut canceled a previously announced summer European tour.[15] The band had already been touring and had completed the U.S. leg of the tour, but before the European leg, Condon stated that after two months of touring, he was running on too little sleep.[16]Zach Condon explained the cancellations in a post on the official Beirut website, stating that he wanted to put the effort into ensuring that any shows would be “as good as humanly possible”.[17] Soon after, The Stranger reported that Condon was working on a third album tentatively scheduled for a fall release.[18] This album materialized as the double EP March of the Zapotec/Holland EP, containing an official Beirut release based on Condon’s recent trip to Oaxaca (March of the Zapotec), and electronic music under the “Realpeople” name (Holland), to be released February 16, 2009.[19] However, the album became available for purchase on iTunes on January 27, almost a month before the projected release date.
On February 6, 2009 Beirut made their debut television performance in the United States on the Late Show with David Letterman, performing “A Sunday Smile”.
Due to their appearance on “Capitu”, a mini-series that aired in Brazil, Beirut has acquired a massive following within the country.[20] This large fan base inspired musicians in cities across the country to form tribute bands in an event called “Beirutando na Praça” which translates to “Beiruting in the Square” [21] which occurred on August 30, 2009; though the groups had formed earlier in the winter of 2009. The event involved seven bands in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Salvador, Curitiba, and Lima performing adapted covers of Beirut songs in the streets.
Beirutando groups have adapted the songs in order to connect them to Brazilian culture by changing rhythms. As well as altering the songs, different instruments have been used, such as the “cavacolele”, a cavaquinho modified with nylon strings tuned to G-C-E-A (standard ukulele tuning); this instrument was thought up because of the absence of ukuleles in Brazil. Other instruments used by Beirutando bands are thecajón and the melodica.[22]
An FAQ created by the organization stated how the idea for Beirutando was born: “Beirutando appeared in a conversation between two girls from the countryside of São Paulo, Iris and Tainá, concerning about good musicians and composers around the world, when Beirut was quoted. Wondering about how many people would know about Beirut here in Brazil and how good would it be if there were bands with the same potential, they had this insight: ‘We could bring together people who like Beirut and start one band with different personality but that would reach the same musical level’. After spreading this idea through Orkut, a social online network, loads of people joined it and appreciated what became the Beirutando project, born in the late 2008.”[22]
Side Projects
Realpeople is Zach Condon’s electronic side-project. It was under this name that Condon made his first (unreleased) album, The Joys of Losing Weight, and the name to which the Holland EP is credited. The Joys of Losing Weight, which was made when Condon was fifteen, has never been released officially, but has been leaked on the internet.
Condon has also released an EP, Small-Time American Bats, under the name 1971. This was recorded with his friend, Alex Gaziano on guitar and vocals, when they were both around 16 years old (2002). Alex is a founding member of another band originating from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Kidcrash.
Condon plays mandolin, trumpet and ukulele on A Hawk and a Hacksaw’s album A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble and trumpet and ukulele on Alaska in Winter’s album Dance Party in the Balkans. He appears on Get Him Eat Him’s album Arms Down, on the song “2×2″.
Condon is featured on the song Found Too Low RMX by fellow Santa Fean Pictureplane and also appears on the first and last tracks of theGrizzly Bear EP Friend.
Condon also appeared on The New Pornographers‘ fifth album, Together.[23]
Discography
Again in 2011, they contributed a version of the song “O Leãozinho” to the Red Hot Organization’s most recent charitable album “Red Hot+Rio 2.” The album is a follow-up to the 1996 “Red Hot+Rio.” Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.
Personnel
Condon plays a rotary valve flugelhorn and the ukulele as his main instruments. He bought the ukulele as a joke stage prop, but found he liked the sound and was able to play it despite a wrist injury that inhibited him from playing guitar. Condon also plays the trumpet, euphonium, mandolin, accordion, various keyboard instruments, and a modified conch shell that appears on The Flying Club Cup.[1][25][26][27]
Live, Beirut’s roster generally consists of:
Past members include:
The majority of the members of Beirut have performed live as well as appeared on recorded material.
References
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