It was already going to be an unusual evening in Hollywood which is saying something in a town known for its strange excesses especially in the entertainment world. Sufjan Stevens was set to play his new exotic album Planetarium as part of the summer evening concert series at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The series features esoteric artists out of the mainstream of typical pop music.

After hearing from dozens of people that Sufjan Stevens puts on one of the best live shows, I knew I had to go when I saw he announced a date in Austin. The venue was Bass Concert Hall, typically reserved for orchestras, ballets, and classy events that exist on a plane far outside my reach.