Field Report and Friends "Home for the Holidays"- Turner Hall Ballroom, 12/14/18

2018 has been a huge year for Field Report.  In March the band dropped their stellar third album Summertime Songs and performed two sold-out shows in the Back Room at Colectivo in support of it.  The group toured across the country and Field Report added guitarist and vocalist Caley Conway into the mix which added a whole new layer and dimension to their sound.  In celebration of their year as a band, the holiday season, and the end of their Summertime Songs touring cycle, Chris Porterfield and company masterfully curated a one-of-a-kind "Home for the Holidays" show focusing on Field Report material, interpretations of holiday songs, and celebrating the rich tapestry that has become Milwaukee music.  When Porterfield tweeted last month that he had some "chestnuts roasting" he wasn't kidding!

The evening began with Chris Porterfield by himself performing "Evergreen" from the band's 2012 debut record.  He was soon joined by bass player Barry Clark and his friends, the Tontine Ensemble.  The Tontine Ensemble played a spacey, deconstructed and improvised version of "Silent Night," which set the stage for the myriad of sonic surprises and musical presents that the audience was in store for.  The string section accompanied Field Report for the first part of their set, adding rich musical timbres to tracks off of Summertime Songs including "60 Second Distance Run," "If I Knew," and "Blind Spot."  Field Report as a core quintet nailed "Tightrope" from Summertime Songs and the classic Marigolden number "Decision Day" showcasing them at their tightest as a band.

Porterfield is a master of creating lasting and impactful visual images through his lyrics that transport his listeners into his songs.  His use of similies is second to none.  The reworked rendition of perhaps his most popular Marigolden track, "Home (Leave the Lights On)" showcased this, especially with the lyric, "the downtown's dolled up with tinsel and angels, season sneak like haircuts teased apart and tangled, we're praying for a while and we took it all down, like garland hanging on traffic signals."

Caley Conway who for the past two years has released solo EPs showcasing her take on holiday classics was up next for a short set of yuletide tracks that offered up an ethereal rendition of "Jingle Bells," "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."  Tight crisp renditions of Marigolden cuts "Cups and Cups," and the heartwrenching  "Pale Rider" followed, with Conway offering beautiful vocals on "Pale Rider."

Multi-instrumentalist and electronic music specialist Thomas Wincek offered perhaps the most surprising holiday cover of the night, a Manheim Steamroller version of "Deck the Halls."  He was joined by his daughter Althea, Barry Clark, Devon Drobka and a very fitting light arrangement.

Field Report rejoined for a truly remarkable version of "Everytime," which showcased some of Porterfield's best vocals of the evening.  The poppy Summertime Songs single "Never Look Back," came next before Devin Drobka was up for his holiday interpretation portion of the set.

Drobka chose "Little Drummer Boy," with a vocal explanation of having to play the track many times as a percussionist over the years for family and friends.  His rendition, which featured horns and Barry Clark on bass took the tune on a different and very jazzy direction and provided a highlight of the evening.

Chris Porterfield came back on stage with Ryan Necci and Michael Rosetto of Buffalo Gospel to perform an Elvis Presley inspired "Blue Chrismas," featuring Necci's smooth and booming vocals and Rosetto on banjo.

The evening was winding down as Porterfield returned alone on stage for a version of "Ilcomunicado," a deep cut off of Field Report followed by "On Christmas Eve," a song he wrote in part about a priest in Milwaukee who claimed to have had UFOs damage his church.  It was the show highlight in my opinion and a masterful piece of storytelling like only Chris Porterfield can deliver.  Check out the TAP Milwaukee version of it here.

In conclusion, and fittingly so, Field Report and friends closed with "Summertime Songs," my favorite track off of their most recent album, with their dear friend and Milwaukee music icon Mark Waldoch donning a Santa Claus hat and roaring through his vocal part on the track.  If this image doesn't make you smile and rejoice in all that is special about the Milwaukee music scene, I don't know what will.  As Porterfield stated, making music is done best with family and friends, and the Field Report's "Home for the Holidays" show demonstrated this to perfection.