Sufjan Stevens in Los Angeles: 2011
Sufjan Stevens' "The Age of Adz" tour was a radical departure, and I mean that in the best way. This is an artist who made his name with delicate folk songs about states and religious imagery, and here he was delivering electronic, maximalist, sometimes abrasive music with an overwhelming stage setup.
The production was intense - lights, projections, multiple performers, costumes. It felt more like an art installation that happened to include music than a traditional concert. The visuals were sometimes beautiful, sometimes disturbing, always engaging.
The newer material from "The Age of Adz" was challenging. These weren't gentle folk songs - they were electronic explorations of anxiety, identity, and breakdown. "I Want to Be Well" is almost aggressive in its intensity. The glitchy beats, the distorted vocals, the sheer volume and density of sound - it was overwhelming by design.
But then he'd play something from "Illinois" - "Chicago" or "Casimir Pulaski Day" - and you'd remember why you fell in love with Sufjan in the first place. Those songs are so carefully crafted, so emotionally precise, so beautiful in their restraint. Hearing them in the context of the "Adz" material showed his incredible range.
What I appreciate about Sufjan is his refusal to give people what they expect. He could have toured forever playing "Chicago" and "John Wayne Gacy Jr." for crowds who want gentle indie-folk. Instead, he made "The Age of Adz" - a challenging, electronic album that asks more of listeners.
The show was long, intense, sometimes uncomfortable, and absolutely fascinating. This wasn't background music or easy entertainment - this was an artist working through something, exploring ideas, pushing himself and his audience.
Sufjan Stevens represents artistic vision that's uncompromising. He makes the music he needs to make, regardless of commercial considerations or fan expectations. Sometimes that results in beautiful folk songs about Illinois. Sometimes it results in electronic freakouts about existential crisis. Both are valid, both are him.
This show reminded me that great artists evolve. They don't stay in one place because it's comfortable or profitable. They follow their instincts, even when those instincts lead somewhere weird or difficult. Sufjan followed his to "The Age of Adz," and whether you loved it or struggled with it, you had to respect the commitment.