Thursday, March 27, 2014

James Vincent McMorrow, Lincoln Hall, Chicago, Illinois

We only arrived at Lincoln Hall as the opener took the stage, but we were able to get very close, a few rows from the stage and only slightly off center. The opener was pretty good, an understated and quiet Canadian singer-songwriter named Aidan Knight and his backing band. They were a good pairing for James Vincent McMorrow’s style.


McMorrow and his band, took the stage right on time, about 9:15. He was on guitar, switching between acoustic and electric, and occasionally hit a few chords on a keyboard in front of him. He was accompanied by a drummer, bassist, and keyboardist, all of whom sang backing vocals as well.

His high-pitched voice is a bit other-worldly, not Jónsi falsetto other-worldly mind you, but trending in that general direction. Nonetheless, his voice is beautiful and has an impressive range. At times it was so high it almost cracked, almost as if it was entering a range that only dogs and Superman could hear. As expected from listening to his albums, his show was quiet and intimate. The large glowing triangles sharing space with his band on stage made it even easier to drink in the ambiance. His set pulled half from his recently released album Post Tropical (2014) and half from his debut album, Early in the Morning (2011).

McMorrow’s singing voice is quite accent-neutral, but his Dublin roots and thick Irish brogue were much more apparent in his speaking voice. He didn’t have much to say throughout the majority of the show. However, at the end he told a long and roundabout tale of their various travels and experiences on their current tour through the US, including various mishaps with transportation, border crossings, weather, illness, and a cancellation.

Setlist:
The Lakes
Hear That Noise That Moves So Soft and Low
Glacier
Red Dust
Down The Burning Ropes
Follow You Down to the Red Oak Tree
This Old Dark Machine
Post Tropical
Look Out
All Points
We Don't Eat
Gold
Cavalier
Outside, Digging
And If My Heart Should Somehow Stop
If I Had a Boat

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