Jose Gonzalez and yMusic- Pabst Theater, 3/19/16

photo by Brian Davis

Majestic, exquisite, goose-bump inducing and breathtaking- these are the words that come to mind when describing Jose Gonzalez and yMusic's performance at the Pabst Theater.   The evening began with the classical revivalist group, yMusic, performing a brief but compelling set.  The New York based sextet which features virtuoso musicians Rob Moose, Nadia Sirota, Gabriel Cabezas, Alex Sopp, Hideaki Aomori, and CJ Camerieri, has earned quite the following with appearances last year at the inaugural Eaux Claires festival, alongside the Tallest Man on Earth, S. Carey, the Staves and Bon Iver.  Most recently, the group has collaborated with Ben Folds and Jose Gonzalez.  The ensemble performed to a packed house, with everyone in their seat in time for the opening band- a rarity for a weekend show in Milwaukee.  The set consisted of a series of newly arranged pieces, alongside a cover of an old Sufjan Stevens electronic song from his 2000 A Sun Came record.

Following a brief intermission. the second part of the show featured Jose Gonzalez coming onstage solo.  Armed with only one acoustic guitar, the Swedish indie folk singer began a six song set by himself, which featured selections spanning his lengthy career.  The prestine finger-picking on the guitar came across crystal clear with an audience who may have been the quietest I've ever been part of at a venue the size of the Pabst.  Not only was the crowd quiet, but I cannot recall being at a show where I saw no one take out cell phones to take pics or videos without the artist specifically asking that they refrain from doing this.  I followed sut, and soaked it all in, taking just one pic during the encore, and my friend, Brian Davis, who was front row for the show, taking a couple of quick photos at the start of the set for this blog. To be honest, the lack of technology use at the show was refreshing.
 

photo by Brian Davis

Highlights of Gonzalez's solo mini-set included set opener, "Stay in the Shade," one of Gonzalez's earliest works, and "Line of Fire," a standout tune that Gonzalez penned with Junip in 2014 (and earned the group the Pipes's Picks Album of the Year Honors for that year).  

Then came the main event, where Gonzalez asked yMusic to join him for the remainder of the set.  There is a true sense of humility to Gonzalez who sat to the far left of the stage with yMusic more in the middle.  This was not yMusic backing up Jose Gonzalez, but rather a joint performance of the songwriter and the classical ensemble.  Their set together was well-oiled and fluid, showcasing the musicians' strive for perfection in their crafts.  yMusic added detail to older Gonzalez tunes like "Crosses," "Lovestain" and set closer, "Heartbeats" (a cover of The Knife's song).  However, while these tunes may have seem enhanced by the chamber orchestra's arrangements, the newer material off of Gonzalez's acclaimed 2015 release, Vestiges and Claws, soared, as yMusic added a sweeping dramatic dimension to tracks like "Open Book" and "With the Ink of a Ghost."

For an encore, Gonzalez saved some of his finest work, performing his biggest hit, "Down the Line" solo, followed by a truly rousing rendition of his latest single, and set highlight, "Let it Carry You," from Vestiages and Claws, accompanied by yMusic. 

Jose Gonzalez rarely tours or plays Milwaukee, so seeing him joined with yMusic made this a truly special and unique evening.

photo by Will Piper