There’s no better way to kick off the weekend early than with a nice, relaxing night of music from John Moreland and Minor Moon.
After being rescheduled a number of times, cancelled, then rearranged, this show might have been a long time coming but was definitely more than worth the wait! Originally slated for April 2020, this show was amongst one of the first touring casualties of Covid-19. But that felt like a long distant memory as all the seats in Thalia Hall were taken and the crowd relaxed with drinks in hands, ready for an evening of singer-songwriter entertainment.
Entertain, they certainly did! Local musician, Minor Moon, was the first to take to the stage. Sam Cantor usually performs with his band, but for tonight we were treated to a stripped-back, one-man performance. You could almost hear a pin drop as the audience sat in respectful silence, taking in the moment, the music, and the ambiance of the evening – something that shouldn’t be a novelty but all too often is. His songwriting was very in keeping with the evening and perfectly set the tone for what was still to come. Though it was just him and his guitar, he expertly used dynamics and a few effects to fill out the sound and set the perfect stage for some powerful vocals. Sam clearly picked up some new followers from his performance as many of the audience headed to the back of the room after his set to buy his vinyl and hot sauce (yes, he was selling his own hot sauce) after his set.
Without further ado, it was time for the man himself, John Moreland, to take to the stage. In the past, we have seen John perform solo, but for the last few performances we’ve been to, he’s been joined by John Calvin Abney. Tonight, the duo returned to Chicago to bring some of the new songs from last year’s album, LP5, to the masses.We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – John Moreland is one of the best songwriters working today. He is able to take you on a journey lyrically in every song and pair that with beautifully crafted music and a voice that is like Springsteen mixed with a spoonful of honey. It’s a genuine rarity to find this level of craft in the songwriting world. You notice at his shows that he is a man of very few words, and lets the music do the talking for him. With songs like his, idle small talk seems irrelevant anyway and just gets in the way of hearing another song.
In the past, when we’ve seen Moreland perform, he typically performs on his trusty acoustic guitar. However, no acoustics made an appearance on this night. Instead, he and John both played Telecasters. It worked well, with the sound filling up Thalia Hall’s large auditorium. It was impressive to watch John apply the same, effortless-looking, finger-picking style he uses for his acoustic parts on an electric guitar given they are not typically suited to that kind of playing. However, not a note was missed and the tone of the Telecaster sat extremely well against Moreland’s vocals. It also has to be said that Abney really adds to the show, serving up some delicious soundscapes with spacey swirls and lines dripping with reverb expertly complimenting all the songs upon which he plays. At times on the night, he looked so immersed and engaged in his playing that it seemed he would jump up from his stool but ultimately he managed to restrain himself.
The night’s setlist featured five songs from LP5 with the powerful “When My Fever Breaks” and “I’m Learning How To Tell Myself The Truth” being featured back-to-back towards the end of the set and hitting home hard. The set also included fan favorites such as “Cherokee,” “3:59am,” and “God’s Medicine.” There was also a new song in the form of the beautiful “Blue Dream Carolina.” It’s great to know Moreland has been writing and it’s interesting to hear the way his songs and production are developing as you move through his albums. Indeed, it should be a source of much excitement in respect of what is coming next.
As the show progressed, you could feel the stresses of the workweek dissolve away as the timbre of Moreland’s voice washed over you. It was on par with going for a spa day! That’s not to say that there aren’t various points during the night where a line will suddenly cut right through like a knife… Maybe that’s the genius of world-class songwriting, lure your audience in and get them comfortable, then – bang – deliver your message. Whether it’s deliberate or not, we know enough to know that we love it.
This is what live music is about. It was a night that showcased musicianship at its absolute finest. No gimmicks, nothing flashy, just let the lyrics, the instruments, and the voices take center stage to do their thing. And they did their thing magnificently.
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