The final stop on Canadian indie-folk artist Dallas Green’s North American tour proved the singer-songwriter’s star power with songs that left The Intersection crowd spellbound. Review, photo gallery.
Moody and Masterful: City and Colour’s Dallas Green on stage at The Intersection. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Taking the stage amid a swirl of fog and an intense, heavy jam full of grungy, distorted guitars, Dallas Green’s howling falsetto — with the singer yelling into the microphone from five feet away — set the stage for a powerful evening of music by Canada’s City and Colour as the band wrapped up its North American tour at The Intersection in Grand Rapids.
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
Tour Wrap-Up: City and Colour regaled more than 1,000 fans at The Intersection on Saturday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Indeed, aside from a couple minor technical issues, City and Colour’s 1-1/2-hour set was nearly perfect from start to finish.
Appropriately so, seeing as how Green has been at it for more than 15 years – longer that some of his fans have been alive. To some, the few gray hairs in his beard and the fact that he’s quickly approaching 40 would mean he’s past his prime, an old man among a seemingly younger and younger crowd.
To others, his music is more like a fine wine, only growing better with age.
“His music was made famous because of the fact that his songs were very appealing to youth culture. As he’s gotten older, you can see how his life experiences have shaped the way he writes his music,” said Aaron Zraik, a longtime fan who drove from Kentucky to catch the show.
“He’s one of the greatest artists in my mind when it comes to writing songs that are simple, but cohesive. He’s very good at simplicity and attention to space.”
Opening the evening was Austin, Texas, trio Greyhounds, a soulful, Motown-influenced band whose members, sporting three-piece suits and fedoras, exuded energy and a wildly entertaining vibe. Throughout the group’s set, band members were accompanied by a man dressed in an astronaut suit who danced along to every song, adding a definite comical element to their stage presence.
SLOW-BURNING SONGS, A DANCE TUNE AND A NOD TO THE FANS
For City and Colour’s set, Green wore simple attire: black T-shirt, black jeans and a wide-brimmed fedora, with a handkerchief in his back pocket (for which a blushing fan-girl insisted he let her have, to which he replied, “No, you can’t have my handkerchief, I’m using it!”).
The lively banter continued throughout the night. The handkerchief remained in his pocket.
After easing into things, and playing the slow-burning songs for which he’s known, Green stoked the flames with an upbeat, even dance-worthy, tune.
“I hope y’all brought your dancing shoes tonight,” he said before diving headfirst into syncopated guitar, grooving drums and an electric piano riff, and the kind of soulful bark that invokes passionate foot-stomping and audible ‘Mmhmm’s’ from crowd members. The chorus unfolded with a double-time tambourine, more crunchy guitars and Green’s soaring vocals.
Cohesive Simplicity: Dallas Green of City and Colour. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
But some of the show’s most special moments came with the stripped-back, intimate songs on which Green built his career.
Returning from an eruptive encore, Green took the stage with only an acoustic guitar. One of the night’s closing songs was was a fan favorite — “The Girl,” a soft, melodic ballad, sung mostly in falsetto.
Green floated through the ins and outs of the song before once again being joined onstage by his backing full band. The group then launched into a folky, foot-stomping instrumental, ending with with the band backing off their mics and the crowd passionately chanting the lyrics.
Nearing the end of the set, “Hello, I’m in Delaware,” was preceded by tender sentiments.
“I wrote this song years ago, when I was first starting out doing music. I was on the road, and I was lonely,” Green said, pausing to take a breath and look out at the sea of fans. “But I want you to know, that right now, I couldn’t feel less lonely up here with these guys and with all of you out there.”
Green and band also did their part to support a Michigan cause: All merchandise proceeds were being donated to United Way of Genesee County to boost the Flint Water Fund.
PHOTO GALLERY: City and Colour at The Intersection
Photos by Anthony Norkus
