Tyler Ramsey and Carl Bromel- SPACE, Evanston, IL 2/22/19

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

There was a palpable feeling of excitement, enthusiasm, and above all trust in the air in the cozy and intimate confines of SPACE in Evanston.  Walking through an enthusiastic and adoring crowd together, two marquee songwriters took the stage for what would be one of the most special and collaborative performances I've had the pleasure of experiencing in recent history.  Tyler Ramsey, previously a co-songwriter, guitar player, and multi-instrumentalist for Band of Horses, and Carl Bromel, best known as the guitarist for My Morning Jacket, joined forces to showcase their solo material in a collaborative show that saw both musicians accompanying one another.   Bromel is touring in support of his finest solo release to date, last year's Wished Out, and Ramsey has his new solo record, For The Morning, ready to drop on April 5th.  The comradeship and synergy between the musicians was so tight that it was often difficult to determine who was the primary song-smith for any given tune.  The harmonizing between the two men was on point and often both players would trade off solos and jams.  Bromel played acoustic and electric guitar along with pedal steel, whereas Ramsey played acoustic guitar, keyboards, and harmonica among other instruments.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Bromel's solo cuts from Wished Out were well-received live.  He wasted little time getting into the record, opening with "Dark Matter," Wished Out's infectiously contagious first track.  Another standout included Bromel shredding the axe with a super jam on the title track, "Wished Out," which got crowd revved up into a frenzy as if they were seeing Carl jam hard at a  My Morning Jacket concert.  Older tunes like "Snowflake," and "4th of July," were also set highlights and showcased Bromel as an accomplished solo songwriter and player.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Likewise, Tyler Ramsey had many occasions to showcase his craft as an exceptional songwriter.  There is a sense of wonder and the beauty of nature that perpetrates a lot of Ramsey's compositions. Like Bromel, Ramsey jumped into some of his finest material early in the set.  Ramsey performed songs from his 2011 solo record, The Valley Wind, including the heart-wrenching title track.  Other highlights included "1,000 Blackbirds," and "A Long Dream."  Ramsey's finest work, however, might be on some of his narrative and well-crafted tunes from his forthcoming record, For the Morning, which drops in early April. Ramsey's first single "A Dream of Home," is a great anthem about fatherhood and growing that resonated with the audience, including myself. "Breaking A Heart," another new track from For the Morning was also well-received and whetted the audience's pallet for Ramsey's new material that will be released soon.

While both musicians have styles that are both similar and uniquely different, the two-person show showcased two friends and a trusting audience enjoying an extremely special evening that will not soon be forgotten.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch