Last night WFNX radio put on their "Miracle on Tremont Street" Holiday concert at the Orpheum. The show featured recent alt-rock favorites Spoon, The Cold War Kids, Against Me!, and Mute Math. By the time Bostonist got there to check out the headliner Spoon, the crowd seemed to have thinned considerably. We're going to assume that the Tuesday night date and bitter cold helped to keep attendance lower than would be expected.

The Orpheum's loosening of their no-beer-in-the-seats rule helped to lubricate the crowd as Spoon took the stage around 10 PM. The Austin Texas-based rockers didn't interact much with the crowd beyond a basic hello, but instead started right into their catalog of hits with "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb." Front man Britt Daniels did not hold back on his delivery, and more than once was so moved by the music that he ended up on his knees - prostrating himself to the rock gods, perhaps?

The show focused heavily on tracks from their newest album "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga," and the crowd seemed to be appreciative. The songs "Don't You Evah," and "Don't Make Me A Target" were very expressive of the unique sound that has garnered Spoon so much acclaim - the sparse composition and simple funky beat made for a fun and engaging listening experience. Belying Spoon's aforementioned danceability, the tepid crowd had trouble mustering much of a response to the band's efforts, and that fact helped the show to move quite quickly.

After a quick encore that included their major hit "I Turn My Camera On," Spoon claimed they had hit their curfew and sauntered off the stage to continue their journey into the annals of modern alt-rock history - somewhere other than the less-appreciative Boston stage.

Band photos by Korri Leigh Crowley