BAND OF HORSES / CITY AND COLOR LIVE @ COLLEGE STREET
By Ralph Beauchamp
Band of horses and City and Color brought their dynamic co-headlining tour to College Street Music Hall in New Haven on 7/9/2024 with Nolan Taylor in direct support. I've been waiting to catch these two bands for quite some time, but there always seemed to be an obstacle in the way.
Opening the evening was the singer/songwriter Nolan Taylor. He was accompanied by Nashville (via Kentucky) guitarist Clarke Sexton, who was a perfect partner in Taylor's acoustic tone. Nolan grew up in a small town in Ohio and excelled in sports as a youth, but found his true love when he picked up his left-handed guitar in high school. Nolan kind of reminds me of Jason Isbell in that his songs portray the darker side of life. His folky country style fits perfectly with his dark imagery.
Nolan's compositions are full of sadness, heartbreak and redemption. Songs like 'Darkness' touch on the subject of suicide and depression, but the light is beautifully harmonious. Nolan knows how to capture both elements in a single piece. Another track, “Double Life” is based on a true experience of a fellow musician being cheated on. His strongest tune was “68”. It's a song about his estranged mother where Nolan's powerful and soulful voice takes over. Every ounce of his emotion poured out and the audience felt his unique pain. Nolan is a unique talent with high potential.
Next up was the band I really came to see. City and Color is the brainchild of the incredible Canadian artist Dallas Green. Green's vocals are soulful and compelling. His music packs such an emotional punch that every ounce of your spirit feels its power. Green is also a member of the illustrious outfit Alexisonfire. She has been nominated for and won several Juno Awards. Green is a musical force of great stature.
The musicians in City and Color they are also excellent. Longtime collaborator multi-instrumentalist Matt Kelly was impeccable. Leon Power on drums excelled. Erik Nielsen on bass was absolutely thrilling, while guitarist Johnny 99 hit the spot. The whole ensemble was tight and their atmosphere was impeccable. The atmosphere of the complex was a wonderful coolness. Not the dew that explodes in your face, but one that quietly engulfs you in their music.
Opening with “Weightless”, the audience was instantly captivated. I was surprised how many fans they had in the house. From there, City and Color continued the groove with “The Love Still Held Me Near” from their self-titled 2023 album. In fact, close to half the set came from Love Keep Me Close Still including “After Disaster” and “Meant To Be”. College Street was enjoying a heavenly breeze City and Color let him relax.
Throughout, Green's voice carried the day. His psychic vibrations were dramatic and delivered a sonic avalanche of textures. “Living in Lighting”, “Waiting…” and “Silver and Gold” followed. By this time, the crowd was completely mesmerized by propulsive awe. Two amazing songs from the new album followed. “Hard, Hard Time” and “Underground” were simply bold and brazen with the house responding with loud cheers. After 'Fragile Bird', City and Color bring out the big guns. “Lover Come Back” was a huge hit. “Sleeping Sickness” once again had their fans singing along. Ending with a medley of Sade's “Sometimes (I Wish)” and “No Ordinary Love” tonight, City and Color clearly conquered.
Band of horses they were the last band standing. The band was formed in Seattle in 2004, while the founding member of the band is Ben Bridwell (Lead Vocals/Guitar/Pedal Steel/Keyboards). In addition, the current lineup of Band of horses consists of Creighton Barrett (Drums) and Ryan Monroe (Keyboards/Guitar/Backing Vocals). Both have been around for quite some time. The band is completed by Matt Gentling (bass) and Brent Nash (guitar). Band of horses have released six studio albums of which Things are great (2022) is the latest. This year the group released a self-titled live full-length Acoustic At the Ryman (Volume 2).
Band of horses set fire to the scene. From the very first song to the last note, the audience was bathed in the band's mesmerizing opulence. Every song had a persistent tension. Bridwell didn't talk much and let the songs do the talking, which seemed to be good for everyone involved. Tracks like “Laredo” showcased their strong songwriting and gave a beautiful richness to the air. “Crutch” was another fan favorite that had heads bobbing and bodies swaying. Their smash hit “No One's Gonna Love You” drew a standing ovation and won a sing-along.
Throughout their performance, Band of horses transformed exotic textures to stimulate the audience. Their performance of “Is There A Ghost” was breathtaking. His soulful rhythm simply consumed the house. 'The General Specific', 'The Great Salt Lake' and 'Lights' all brought a storm of cascading and imaginative imagery. Band of horses closed with a huge version of “The Funeral”. Overall, the group delivered an absolutely stellar set with plenty of memorable moments.
This was another winning College Street adventure. Mark and Keith really now how to put on a show.
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