The State Theatre witnesses beauty with The Swell Season

The Swell Season ended their 2009 US tour in Minneapolis, MN on Saturday, December 5th. The unlikely Oscar-winning duo made up of The Frames’ front man, Glen Hansard, and the soft spoken Czech, Marketa Irglova, were nothing short of brilliant.

The always lovely and eternally heartbroken Rachael Yamagata opened the show to a filled State Theatre of considerate yet enthusiastic fans. Yamagata’s set was short and sweet, with her imagery of each song oftentimes leaning towards the fixture of love, and her troubles in keeping it.

Glen and Marketa took the stage alone and opened their set on their knees with “Fallen From the Sky”; a pinging digital drum track from a small Casio keyboard provided the rhythm. Marketa looked a bit like a gypsy while wearing a traditional eastern European skirt and blouse, while Glen Hansard looked like a true Irishman, bushy red hair and beard moreover. Together they put on one of the most sincere and intimate shows I can remember.

Glen Hansard is a true singer/songwriter. He is earnest, appreciative, and genuine with a tattered acoustic guitar baring the skeletal structure of his passion. He and Irglova worked through a few songs as a duo before The Frames also took the stage to add more instrumentation. They worked through most of the songs from the fantastic movie Once (which everyone must see), other Swell Season songs, a few older songs by The Frames, and towards the end of the set Hansard covered “Astral Weeks” by fellow Irishman, Van Morrison. His poignant playing of that song induced a standing ovation.

Throughout the evening Glen wasn’t afraid to keep the crowd’s consideration with some lively endearing banter. Before a song when an 18th century violin was accidentally knocked over from its stand by The Frames’ violinist, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Glen took several minutes to heal the beautiful instrument with some monk-like chanting. Thankfully the instrument lingered unscathed. But when he took time to describe the old women he had met recently who had lost her son in the World Trade Center attacks, I think a good portion of the crowd was on the edge of tears. From that story he went to the rim of the stage and half screamed out the most dynamic song of the night, “Say it to Me Now”. It was truly chilling.

One of the last songs he played solo was a traditional Irish song that he dedicated to the last remaining member of the original Irish rock-n-roll band, The Clancy Brothers, who had passed away just the day before. This time it was Glen who seemed to be on the edge of tears as he had the crowd singing along, “Raise a glass”.

The Frames have been around for twenty years. Their intricate playing complimented Hansard and Irglova beautifully, not once overpowering the duo as they embarked on perhaps their last US gig together for some time. Throughout the evening the tension of their relationship was palpable, and those emotions rang through every song.

Glen Hansard took the show out with an all-acoustic and unplugged version of “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” by Bob Dylan. The full cast of the night’s show including Rachael Yamagata joined in. The song started at the front edge of the stage and ended with Hansard leading a snaking march around the stage with everyone following. The crowd was singing along, “Hoo wee, Ride me high, Tomorrow’s the day my bride’s gonna come, Hoo wee, Are we gonna fly, Down into the easy chair?”

I went to this show with no expectations, and left thoroughly in awe. The Swell Season were fantastic on this chilly late fall evening in Minneapolis. It was clear that Glen Hansard warmed the hearts of many though. He is a shining man. His love for music is real.

The Swell Season at The State Theatre, Minneapolis, MN 12.5.09 Setlist
Fallen From the Sky (duet)
Lies (duet)
Low Rising
Feeling the Pull
In These Arms
The Moon
If You Want Me (sung by Irglova)
Fantasy Man (sung by Irglova)
Say It to Me Now (Hansard solo)
Leave (Hansard solo)
What Happens When the Heart Stops? (Hansard solo)
Astral Weeks (Van Morrison cover, Hansard solo)
Traditional Irish song (Hansard solo)
The Court of Newton (violin solo by Colm Mac Con Iomaire)
Alone Apart (sung by Irglova)
Two-Step (Low cover)
When Your Mind’s Made Up

Encore:
Falling Slowly (duet)
High Hope
All This Means Nothing Without You (sung by opener Rachael Yamagata)
High Horses

Second encore:
Red Chord
You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Bob Dylan cover)