I need upbeat music to keep me awake. Slow, acoustic music just doesn’t do it for me. I’m constantly busy with no breaks or end in sight. Listening to singer/songwriter or acoustic music will literally make me fall asleep no matter when I am. That’s why I avoid acoustic shows like the plague. Last night I went to a singer/songwriter show but I didn’t hate it. I didn’t fall asleep (although I got damn close) and I really did enjoy the talent that shined from the stage.
Noah Gundersen was the headliner last night. Never heard of him? Neither have I but there was no shortage of people at The Fine Line last night to see him perform.
Noah’s songs have been featured in shows such as Sons of Anarchy and The Vampire Diaries. His voice is smooth and powerful. During his song Ledges there was a quick a capella part that really showcased just how powerful his voice is. It was the kind of moment in a song that gives you goosebumps.
Noah was accompanied on stage by a band that seemed to be playing musical chairs with their instruments. The drummer and Noah were the only ones that really stayed in the same place with the same instrument. For one song his sister (who was featured on violin majority of the night) ended up on a keyboard. I would look down at my phone, then look up, and all of a sudden she had a guitar in hand. That just goes to show how truly talented these musicians are. And they would have to be super talented in order to keep up with Noah’s incredible voice.
His whole set was like a rollercoaster. He would play a very slow and quiet song and have me to the point of nodding off with his soothing voice. Then the next second, the drummer is banging on the drums about as loud as any other rock band. Noah’s voice was able to keep up regardless of the style of song and that kept me, a person who can’t stand watching acoustic/ singer-songwriter stuff live, interested and wanting more.
Ivan & Aloysha was the only opening act of the night. They have a great indie folk-rock sound with yet another very powerful vocalist. These guys gained a lot of popularity when NPR named them one of the top 100 bands at South By Southwest back in 2010. It seems like they have only grown since then. There was a group of kids next to me that were clapping along to every single song and seemed to know all of the words. That’s a little shocking to me being that I walked in last night not knowing anything about either performers. I&A played for around 45 minutes and kept the audience engaged the whole time. Their songs were upbeat but not fast and out control.
Nothing about last night was extreme. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise since the rest of this week is full of insane metal and punk shows for me. The music was slow and calming but that helped the talent shine through. It was refreshing to see people get up on stage and perform their songs with heart and conviction, not just play them.
Line Up:
Venue: The Fine Line
Sausage Fest Meter- -24 out of 10
Crowd Surfers- Are you kidding me?
Spotted Flying Through The Sky- Nothing
Broken Bones- None
Found in the Pit- N/A
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