Johnnyswim, Thalia Hall, Chicago, Illinois

I had now been to Thalia Hall in Pilsen a couple times, and it was also my second time seeing the folk, soul, blues, pop duo Johnnyswim, comprised of husband Abner Ramirez and wife Amanda Sudano (daughter of singer Donna Summer and composer Bruce Sudano). The last time was a few years ago at Lollapalooza. Though they have yet to release a proper follow up album, their brief December holiday tour would feature songs from a Christmas EP released last year, plus a couple additional unreleased Christmas songs.

The venue was fairly empty when we arrived, so it was easy to get a spot close to the stage. A few Christmas trees decorated the stage, but otherwise both the stage and lighting were fairly sparse. Hearing that there would be no opener and two sets, I assumed that meant a standard set and a Christmas set. Instead, they ended up doing two sets that were a mix of the two. Not my preference, but it was fine. The audience was older than I would have expected. It seemed like a lot of middle age couples and groups of female friends enjoying a night out. The show was also louder than I would have expected, but we were pretty close to the speakers.

In addition to Amanda and Abner, the pair were accompanied by their backing band, same as at Lolla. At one point, they also briefly brought their son, who had been born in just the past year, on stage. Sporting a set of large ear muffs, the youngster added one word to the performance, “hi.” Not bad considering he was in utero that last time he was at the venue. Before the intermission, they plugged a charity that they support, telling everyone to bypass their merch table and support the charity.

The duo did a couple of off mic songs, where they stepped to the very front of the stage with just a single acoustic guitar and their voices. During the second set, they did an unplugged song where they came to the center of the audience in the middle of the room to perform a singalong of “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” and I believe one of their songs. I don’t know what they were thinking, because that didn’t really work. Why would I want to hear people around me whispering and singing poorly instead of the band, especially when I can’t even see them?

Their Christmas songs including some interesting new arrangements of Christmas classics, though nothing exceedingly innovative. They were updated, but not completely new orchestrations like Sufjan Stevens does. Overall a very pleasant evening though and certainly a show I’d be happy to see annually.

Setlist:
Set 1:
Winter Wonderland/Baby, It's Cold Outside
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas/Santa Baby
Don't Let It Get You Down
You & I
Hummingbird [Acoustic]
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve [Acoustic]
The Christmas Waltz
Adelina
Set 2:
Auld Lang Syne/Christmas Day/Joy to the World/All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town [Unplugged]
Trouble
Live While We're Young/Little Drummer Boy
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Take the World
Diamonds
Home
This Christmas