City And Colour + Hannah Georgas @ Birmingham Academy – 30th January 2014
Tonight, Hannah Georgas’ voice rings angelically throughout the academy but with a power that most singers would kill for. Admittedly this was my first experience of her music and even though the rest of the crowd may have fit into that same group, she wasn’t given much credit tonight. Credit that was probably deserved. Her music is melodic with guitars that push forward and build and build. Accompanied by some synth possibly influenced by her Canadian contempory, Metric, but with much more pop sensibility. Highlight of the set was a track called Enemies, straightforward lyrics with that rousing and elusive voice that rings true.
Before finishing her set Georgas modestly admits to the crowd, “What a treat it is to be opening for City and Colour” and as the crowd shout back their approval at what is to come it’s pretty clear to Georgas and the rest of her band why everyone came out tonight.
After a restless half hour, Dallas Green and his band meekly stroll onstage. The crowd doesn’t expect any bells and whistles from such an accomplished yet unassuming band. They kick off with Of Space and Time and The Lonely Life, tracks from latest album The Hurry and the Harm. Much like the rest of the album they subtly remark upon the fast-paced lifestyle we lead and how we should probably take a step back once in a while. It’s not long into the show that Dallas adds to this commentary,
“Just for this one song could I ask that we don’t hold up our phones and take shitty shaky footage with shitty sound quality and just enjoy this right now? I know you all want to put it up on YouTube as soon as you get home; I do too…to preserve the memory. But how about you just enjoy it right now…”
The crowd wholeheartedly agrees as Dallas stands alone with just his acoustic guitar and harmonica. Silence falls on the academy apart from Dallas’ honeyed voice which belts out Body in a Box.
The crowd joins him thereafter in quite a special moment in the show. Dallas has perfected these older tracks to a point where he plays around with the arrangement ever so slightly. Not so that it’s unrecognisable. Just refreshing it.
Green keeps it acoustic for the next track, another older track but this time from the first album. He belts out Comin’ Home, his voice reverberating across the room. For those that were first introduced to Dallas Green’s solo material back in 2005 with the release of Sometimes, this is pretty extraordinary. Green has the aptitude and authority to stop the crowd dead, enthralled by his musical elegance. The song explores life on the road and what’s left behind, a theme that City and Colour often returns to, how what he has seen on the road doesn’t compare to what he has at home.
He sings, “I’ve seen a palace in London, I’ve seen a caste in Wales…” The Welsh in the crowd cheer. Myself included. But Green has the power to keep the idiocy to a minimum. During these acoustic tracks we are all captured by his weighty presence.
Dallas seamlessly continues with Little Hell, quiet at first until the rest of the band beats up into the first chorus. It is worth mentioning here that as City and Colour has grown so has the live sound. From its acoustic roots up to now the live band has grown and evolved into a consummate folk-rock powerhouse. Guitarist, Dante Schwebel, bassist Jack Lawrence, drummer Doug MacGregor, and Matt Kelly on keys all add musical poise and refinement to Green’s writing, lifting it to points where it quite simply could not have gone on an acoustic guitar.
As the crowd sing along to stomping singles, Thirst and Fragile Bird, and the set draws to a close it becomes clear that we are being treated to something really special. If you have yet to see City and Colour play, if you’re not familiar with their music, if it’s not really your thing, just go see them. You won’t be disappointed.
The guys launch into Sorrowing Man, all fuzzy guitars and blinding lights, the type of distortion we don’t see all that often from City and Colour. It’s brutally fitting for the end of the show, exploring the always prominent desolation in Green’s lyrics. As his voice echoes on far from the microphone and the drums and guitars crash and collide, City and Colour disappear from the stage just as unassumingly as they appeared.
The crowd roars in demand of their return and minutes later their wish is granted as the band and the crowd belt out fan-favourite The Girl. Honestly, Green could have stopped there but instead continued with his reflections on mortality, finally closing with Death’s song, reminding us all to live in the present and forget the rest of the bullshit.
Review – Lisa Coghlan
Photos – Ian Dunn