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Setlist
Tour Dates
05/19/2017 The Sinclair Cambridge, MA 05/20/2017 U Street Music Hall Washington, DC 05/21/2017 World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA 06/15/2017 Factory Theatre Marrickville, Australia 06/16/2017 Triffid Newstead, Australia 06/17/2017 Evelyn Hotel Fitzroy, Australia 06/18/2017 Evelyn Hotel Fitzroy, Australia 06/21/2017 Fowler's Live Adelaide, Australia 06/22/2017 Astor Theatre Mt. Lawley, Australia 08/27/2017 Victorious Festival 09/30/2017 7 Layers Festival Read More
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More and more often in recent times, musical acts coming from overseas can’t bring their full band over, due to costs and/or Visa issues and that was the case with UK singer-songwriter Lewis Watson.
Armed with only a guitar and taking his songs down to their very essence, he played a passionate solo performance, so stripped, simple, and scaled down (but no less effective) Watson’s performance could be easily described as …elementary.
Opening the evening was Minneapolis husband and wife duo, The Prams with a forty-minute set of self-described ”vibey-folk”, a mix of dreamy, ambient chill pop with an organic acoustic folk backbone. The couple (Australian Jesse Keller and his Minnesota-raised wife, Alta) has released a few EPs and singles, as well as a 2015 self-titled full length and plays songs that layer their Jesse’s acoustic guitar work with Alta’s synth beats and the pair’s vocal harmonies, as well as singing separately.
Their love for one another translates into several of the duo’s songs, who opened with the breathy ‘Bullets and Knives’, worked in re-interpreted covers of Justin Bieber’s ‘Sorry’ and the Spice Girls’ ‘Wannabe’ and closed with their newest release, their single, ‘Everything is Gold’.
Oxfordshire, England native Lewis Watson seemed more of a seasoned and savvy performer that his young age of twenty-four belied during his sixty-seven minute headlining set. On this, his first time in Minneapolis in front of an enthusiastic, mostly college-age crowd, the humble singer was wise enough to remember the basics when in front of a new crowd.
Performing 101 – 1) introduce yourself 2) remind people a few times of what merch you’re selling in the back and say you’ll meet them after the set there; and 3) introduce each song (so we can look up our favorites on Spotify later) with a brief story behind each one. Many newer performers forget these basics, and then wonder why not many are seeking out their music, but not Watson (who counts City & Colour as one of his main influences).
Starting with the first track from new album, Midnight (Cooking Vinyl Records) (which is a companion piece to previous album, Morning) ‘Maybe I’m Home’ was written about sadness, but also being able to see the joy. “I try and cry once a day”, Watson joked, his dark t-shirt offsetting his white-dyed hair.
“I usually tour with a band… but I can’t afford them right now”, Watson mentioned, alluding to the expense to bringing a full crew over, happily surprised at people cheering as he introduced each song. The crowd, which he dubbed “The Twin Cities Choir, was anointed to fill in for his band, which everyone happily agreed to, Watson smiling as most knew the chorus to ‘Sink or Swim’ without needing to be coached.
‘Little Light’ was admittedly his favorite to play live, ‘Stones Around the Sun’ was the audience choice of song to hear live when Watson asked via social media prior to the show, and he was amazed to see people singing back the lyrics of ‘Forever’ to him, a song he wrote on the same guitar in his bedroom, an ocean away.
For his Guillemots cover done mid-set, Watson made his way into the middle of the floor, surrounded closely by appreciative fans with raised cellphones and he rotated about, singing the song off-mike and directing the audience to sing two different harmonies to accompany him.
Meant as a full band song, a song about the end of the world called ‘When the Water Meets the Mountains’ was performed abridged, coming off not as bleak as its theme might indicate; and the set closing ‘Deep the Water’ was about being unfairly taken advantage of, though again, the song shimmered brighter than its somber theme might suggest.
Though the new album is called Midnight, the clock had not even reached nine as Watson finished, the result of an early start and all-ages curfew time looming, which Watson anticipated and wanted to make as much time as possible, to meet any younger fans.
With a storytellers-like format and the chance to hear songs as they were originally composed in barest form, Lewis Watson provided a warm and welcome introduction to his persona and his music, and any decision to see him again on his next trip through the metro, is obvious ...and elementary.
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Prams |
Prams |
Lewis Watson |
Lewis Watson |
Lewis Watson |
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Lewis Watson at Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (09 May 2017) |
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