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Stephen Thompson | August 31, 2023
Ten years ago, sometime after Speedy Ortiz transformed itself from a Sadie Dupuis solo project into a functioning rock band, its jagged and clever early singles caught the attention of NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich. So we reached out to inquire about a Tiny Desk concert, only to learn that the timing wasn’t quite right: The group didn’t have any days off and its members were concerned they wouldn’t sound their best, so they responded to our request with a question of their own. “Can we do it later?”
Now, Speedy Ortiz is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its debut album, Major Arcana — and finally making good on that offer to come back another time, though it should be noted that Dupuis’ side project Sad13 did play a killer Tiny Desk (home) concert back in 2020. But this set stands as a definitive Speedy Ortiz time capsule, bringing together band members of the past and present while capturing one song from each of the group’s four albums: “The Graduates” (from 2015’s Foil Deer), “Scabs” (from the new Rabbit Rabbit), “Lucky 88” (from 2018’s Twerp Verse) and “Plough” (from Major Arcana). It’s truly a performance 10 years in the making, not to mention an ideal showcase for the band’s wiry, eternally quotable charm. Even the stuffed bunnies seem impressed.
SET LIST
“The Graduates”
“Scabs”
“Lucky 88”
“Plough”
MUSICIANS
Sadie Dupuis: electric guitar, lead vocal
Andy Molholt: electric guitar, piano, backing vocal
Audrey Zee Whitesides: bass, backing vocal
Joey Doubek: drums
Devin McKnight: acoustic guitar/aux percussion
Darl Ferm: acoustic guitar/aux percussion
Camellia Hartman: violin
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bob Boilen
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Sofia Seidel
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann
#nprmusic #tinydesk #speedyortiz
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