It was a night of captivating vocals in Grand Rapids on Thursday, as well as heartfelt stories and inspiring songs. The review and photos at Local Spins.
Spine-Tingling Harmonies: The Lone Bellow on Thursday night. (Photo/Anna Sink)
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In the words of the ever-enchanting Lone Bellow, “Let no good time slip away.”
The trio refused to let that happen at St. Cecilia Music Center on Thursday, with the near-capacity Royce Auditorium proving to be the perfect place for the haunting harmonies and good-time sounds of The Lone Bellow, the Brooklyn-based band lighting up the evening after a mesmerizing opening set from Nashville singer and Michigan native Lindsay Lou.
The crowd certainly felt the warmth of the band’s rootsy, gospel-esque and vocally stunning performance of captivating songs matched only by the magical way each band member’s voice complemented the others.
Filling space between songs with heartfelt back stories about the tunes, the three enhanced their vocals with two guitars and a mandolin while surrounding a single microphone on stage.
Michigan-Bred Voice: Lindsay Lou (Photo/Anna Sink)
In their first appearance at St. Cecilia since 2018, the band filled the first 20 minutes with crowd favorites from their early albums, including 2013’s “You Never Need Nobody,” singing so close together that band members were hugging each other. It all made the audience feel the intimacy emanating from the stage as band members implored the audience to sing along.
(The setting of the night couldn’t have been more perfect with the sounds of a gospel choir practicing from a neighboring church heard from the front steps of St. Cecilia, echoing the vocal emotions of The Lone Bellow.)
At one point, band members dropped their string instruments to sing favorites such as “May You Be Well” accompanied on piano, further demonstrating their vocal prowess and drawing cheers and whistles from the audience.
The trio touched on songs from albums spanning their career, including this year’s “Love Songs for Losers,” as well as a cover of The National’s “Pink Rabbits.”
Mid-set, they also brought Lindsay Lou back on stage for a solo rendition of her classic sing-along, “Shining in the Distance.”
It was just another shining moment in an evening filled with raw talent and passion — and plenty of goosebumps for the listeners on hand.
PHOTO GALLERY: The Lone Bellow, Lindsay Lou at St. Cecilia Music Center
