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Tour Dates
May 21, 2022 - Chicago, IL - Athenaeum Theatre
May 26, 2022 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre May 27, 2022 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater May 31, 2022 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater With special guests Lee Rogers and Gareth Dunlop Read More
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“We’re here to have fun. What are you here for?” A question Foy Vance posed to the crowd before he launched into a song that broke two of his strings on his acoustic guitar. Vance, an energetic performer, looked to have as much fun as those in the sold out crowd that came to see him and two fellow Northern Irish musicians, Lee Rogers and Gareth Dunlop.
The video for Rogers “Life and Lies” takes place in a pub and the concert at the Cedar had the feel of being such a place. Thirty songs over three hours that started with Vance hanging out before the show, taking selfies and mixing with the crowd before the lights began to dim. Then after a brief introduction, Dunlop unassumingly took the stage with a five song-set.
Dunlop jokingly said that he had been called a lot of things over the years but never “Gareth Reynolds” which was how he was incorrectly introduced.
Dunlop used his acoustic guitar as a percussive instrument with a pizzicato style with “My Kind of Paradise” and a ticking clock with “Can’t Stand Myself.” He probably didn’t want to overshadow what is a rather quiet, comforting voice, the kind of soothing voice an understanding father might have when he says everything is going to be alright even though you crashed his vintage Ford Thunderbird.
Dunlop and his reassuring voice have been featured in many movies, commercials and TV and he sang “Devil Like You” which aptly found its way in the TV show Lucifer.
For his last song “Look Back Smiling” Dunlop switched to the keyboard. He stated that during the pandemic he worked on quitting cigarettes and learned how to play the piano which he said he was now “certified as below average.”
After a brief intermission, Rogers sauntered onto stage and surprised the crowd with a brief “Hello!” and off he went with “Rest of My Life.”
Where Dunlop may have the voice of a caring parent, Rogers’ voice has a full-throated, deep reservoir like a man who has seen quite a bit over the years and is lucky to survive it. And he is funny, saying that his song “Ada” has never been on a TV show.
Even though Rogers looks like a guy who would work on your vintage Ford Thunderbird, there is a more reflective, thoughtful presence behind the gruff veneer with lyrics like “I fell in the water. I drown in your eyes.” (Life and Lies) And “The road to heaven runs through hell.” (Silent Song)
Foy Vance then took the stage at first by himself. He said that his debut album Hope was now fifteen years old and he started off the set from a song from that album “Treading Water.”
Then Vance went on and on with a 21 song set with an energy that seemed to increase with more and more energy as the evening went on.
Vance’s dad was a preacher and uprooted his family from their Northern Ireland home to work the Southern Black churches in America when Vance was all of four years old. It was there that he fell in love with the musical traditions of gospel, blues and soul.
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“A showman of the first order, he is a generous mentor, championing the works of his opening acts…”
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Vance doesn’t have much love for traditional religion, but those formative years in America had instilled in him a revival sprit. A showman of the first order, he is a generous mentor, championing the works of his opening acts, his influence filtering through Dunlop and Rogers.
Vance highlighted songs from his six studio albums, moving from the guitar to drums to the piano, back to the drums and guitar, letting individual band mates takes center stage, even inviting his daughter onto stage to sing.
The set ended with a stirring rendition of “It Ain’t Over” from his latest album Signs of Life. But as quickly as he and the band left, he was back on stage with six more songs that included “Indiscriminate Acts of Kindness” and “Shed a Little Light” from Hope.
Vance ended the evening with “Guiding Light” from Joy of Nothing, a song that Ed Sheeran would sing to close his set when he and Vance were on tour together. Vance said that a lot of people misinterpreted the song as having a religious tone. He said that his guiding light was not God but you. He then pointed to the audience and jumped into the crowd encouraging them to sing along.
| dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com |
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