Sufjan Stevens- Riverside Theater, 4/24/15

photo courtesy of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch

Breathtakingly beautiful is not a phrase that I think I've ever used in describing a concert until last night's stunning performance by Sufjan Stevens at the sold-out Riverside Theater.  The capacity crowd hung on every note sung and played by Stevens and his exceptional crew of backing musicians, creating a silent and eerily serene environment at the Riverside during the two hour performance.

Sufjan had the audience in the palm of his hands and delivered one of the best performances I've ever had the privilege of seeing.  The often flamboyant Stevens is known for bombastic shows with long tunes backed by orchestral arrangements and a wacky array of props. He and his eleven-piece band played in elaborate winged costumes during their 2006 show at the Pabst Theater.  Then Stevens returned in 2012 to Turner Hall, dubbing himself "Surfjohn Stevens" for a concert titled, "The Seasonal Affective Disorder Yultide Disaster Pageant on Ice." The setlist for this show featured over thirty renditions of holiday songs with some other material peppered in, performing a concert which literally had confetti raining down upon the crowd and a stage set up which would put the most festive home on Candy Cane Lane to shame.  

Last night's performance was nothing like these other two shows.  Yes, it was Sufjan with his same layered arrangements and soft voice, but the performer has never appeared more earnest or exposed as an artist. The result was a concert that held the audience, quite literally, on the edge of their seats, and as quiet and respectful as I've ever seen a crowd in Milwaukee behave for a concert (and that includes going to the symphony!)

photo courtesy of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch

The show consisted of two parts.  The first was Sufjan playing his entire new album Carrie and Lowell, a record that serves as an homage to his mother who passed away of stomach cancer two years ago and his stepfather.  Sufjan played ten of the eleven tracks off of the album straight through without any banter.  Each of the Carrie and Lowell songs was constructed with unique lighting arrangements which set the mood for the track.  Sometimes grainy home videos of Stevens growing up were played behind him.  Other times scenery of the western United States flowed on the monitors as Stevens recalled trips he and his family would take out west when he was young.  The gut wrenching sense of loss and yearning that comes across when listening to Carrie and Lowell resonated ten-fold live.

The second part of the show featured songs that thematically tied into the themes of family, live, loss, and yearning for belonging, many of which came from Stevens 2004 banjo driven spiritual record, Seven Swans. Highlights included, "Sister" and "All the Trees in the Fields Will Clap Their Hands" from Seven Swans, along with "For the Windows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" from Michigan.  Each track was played with the utmost precision.  By the time the concert ended, Stevens had brought the crowd to their feet giving the artist a thunderous and deserving standing ovation. This was the least we could do for a man who bore his soul, delivering an evening of majestic music.

photo courtesy of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch

Setlist- Courtesy of Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

1. "Redford (for Yia-Yia and Pappou)"

2. "Death With Dignity"

3. "Should Have Known Better"

4. "Drawn to the Blood"

5. "All of Me Wants All of You"

6. "Eugene"

7. "John My Beloved"

8. "The Only Thing"

9. "Fourth of July"

10. "No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross"

11. "Carrie & Lowell"

12. "The Owl and the Tanager"

13. "In the Devil's Territory"

14. "For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti"

15. "Futile Devices"

16. "Sister"

17. "Blue Bucket of Gold"

Encore

18. "Concerning the UFO sighting near Highland, Illinois"

19. "All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands"

20. "The Dress Looks Nice on You"

21. "Chicago"

Benjamin Booker- Turner Hall Ballroom, 3/27/15

photo courtesy of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch

Benjamin Booker's laid back nature served him well as he and his trio performed to a strong crowd at Turner Hall.  Booker got on of the best rubs in the music business when he was selected as an opener for Jack White.  When I saw White last summer at the Eagles Ballroom, Booker's set stood out as one of the better support performances I saw last year.

Since his opening gig for Jack White, Booker released a fantastic self-titled record that encompasses aspects of traditional rock, New Orleans blues, and garage rock to create an innovative take on a classic sound.  His Facebook page describes his genre as "Tent City Revival," which is perhaps as good of a descriptor as any.  Booker for a young artist has a lot of musical chops.  For most of his nearly ninety minute set, we saw Booker as we'd expect to see him-- playing loud and rocking out. Up tempo, three cord, hooks engaged the crowd with the set opening, "Always Waiting." Other tracks from his album oozed with raw energy including"Chippewa" and "Wicked Water."

photo courtesy of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch

 On other tracks, Booker and his trio opted to ditch the louder rock sound for a more Americana roots vibe, with drummer Max Norton picking up a mandolin and Alex, Booker's bassist, opting for a fiddle.  These tunes while different than the tracks on the album, were very well received, and were some of my favorites of the evening.  You can tell that Booker is loving what he's doing, as his energy and exuberance radiated throughout the performance.  By the end of the set, Booker and hsi band played a rousing rendition of their single, "Violent Shiver," into the jammed out, "Have You Seen My Son."

Before taking the stage at Turner Hall, Booker and his bandmates performed an in-studio performance at 88.9 Radio Milwaukee.  In his interview Booker came across as a very humble and relaxed performer, especially touring with his first band as an artist who more or less, thanks to White, exploded onto the scene.  There is a good reason why Benjamin Booker's tour is selling out shows all over the country.  Catch this white hot artist when you can still see him in small venues.  I have a feeling there is a lot more to be heard from him as he continues to craft and refine his sound.

photo courtesy of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch

Setlist:
Always Waiting
Chippewa
Old Hearts
Happy Homes
Kids
Falling Down Blues
Slow Coming
Little Liza Jane
Shout Bamalama
Spoon Out My Eyeballs
Wicked Waters
Violent Shiver
Have You See My Son?
By the Evening