Set List: This is the list of songs from the set list but Glen changed up the set list during the song because there were some audience requests and he played what he wanted to play.

say it to me now (solo)
all the way down (solo)

with the band:
lies
sleeping
this low
when you minds made up
fantasy man (Marketa)
falling slowly

leave (solo)
lay me down (Frames)/ raglan road
what happens
through the mystic (Van Morrison cover) / healing
bannanaman (request)
fog town

encore:
once (duet)
if you want me (Marketa)
star star (Frames cover with bassist Doyle, Marketa, Glen alternating on vocals)

I’m the type of listener that tries to listen to a bunch of songs by a band before i head out to a gig. For Swell Season, i didn’t do this. I didn’t even get a chance to watch “Once“, the film that featured the music and musicians of Swell Season, a collaboration between Frames frontman Glen Hansard and long time collaborator Marketa Irglova. If you haven’t by now, please watch “Once”. Its one of the best music films i have seen since “Almost Famous”. I walked into the venue not really expecting anything- sure, they haven’t gotten a lot of buzz but i wasn’t really in the mood of a mellow show. On top of this, instead of the usual general admission setup, there were a bunch of folding chairs set up and each ticket holder was assigned a seat. My friend and I were placed really far back and we decided to stand at the bar to get a better/ closer view.

Martha Wainwright opened the show and like her Hotel Cafe show, she was solo and playing a bunch of new songs. I had a feeling that a lot of the audience didn’t know who she was and wasn’t familiar with her songs. But, i think she did a great job of retaining the audience. About three songs in, she asked the audience if anyone had a guitar pick she could borrow because she couldn’t find hers. When guy walked up to the stage and pulled one from his wallet, she asked him in he wanted it back or if he wanted it to be autographed. He declined and Martha feigned disappointments. It was a surprisingly mellow and fun set.

Swell Season:

Glen started off the set doing “Say It To Me Now” solo. About a minute into the song, there were sound issues and he unplugged his guitar, walked to the edge of the stage and continued the song unplugged and without a microphone. You could hear the influence that busking in Dublin had brought to his performance abilities- power, volume, how he strums his guitar like a madman and the ability to capture a crowds attention. By the first song, i was hooked.

Due to the sound issues and the loud air conditioning system, the set started out a little rough and it was apparent when Glen told the venue to shut the air off and asked everyone if it was okay. By the time Marketa and the band joined Glen on stage, the band quickly found their stride.

The set was kept engaging with Marketa performing her own songs “if you want me”, “Alone apart” as well as the duets with Glen. Every member of the band was given the opportunity to showcase their talents with violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire (from the Frames) playing an instrumental violin piece solo by sampling himself with a loop pedal. The song was very beautiful.
The last song of the encore was such a great way to end the night- the band played “Star Star” with Glen, Marketa, and Doyle (Frames bassist) harmonizing and alternating the verses between them. Swell Season, after all, is a collaborative effort.

Swell Season wasn’t like any other band that did meaningless banter in between songs, they were storytellers and they told stories that inspired the songs. After Lies, Glen said that the band came up with the correct definition of a Liar as someone who tells the truth about something that didn’t happen. Glen and Marketa shared the inspiration between “Drown Out” and told the story of this ghost buster type lady that was hired to rid a house of spirits. The story goes that the lady was channeling a spirit when her husband’s body was taken over by a spirit of some sort and it turned out that it was a bunch of kids that were killed because they had disabilities. The reason they took over the body was because they had seen a set of lights in the distance and they followed source of that light which turned out to be her husbands eyes. When they played the song, you can really hear the frantic uncertainty. It was such a haunting experience and for the band to have the ability to channel the emotion of the story really reflects their talents. After another song Glen shared his experience with walking down a beach in San Francisco the day before when there was an oil spill in the harbor. The government Hazmat crew with their clipboards & outfits discussing what should be done while all hippies that had already been on the beach scooping up the goo & putting it in bags continued to work. He concluded that ” Individuals are great, but people are shit.”

At one point in the show, Glen asked the audience if they had any questions and it was like a mini QA session as people screamed out questions like “when is the next Frames record coming out” and when “Twice” would be coming out. A fan even requested “Banana Man”, a song Glen had written for his niece- he played the entire song and even had the crowd sing along.

The best part of the night was when they played “Falling Slowly”. Having never heard it before, i was completely captivated by the song. I could feel the It was one of those perfect moments where everyone in the room is feeling the same thing you are and you’re all connected through the music. The air was heavy with emotion and it was as if everything slowed down and the only thing that existed at that moment was the music.

Due to the 21+ policy at 4th&B, there were some fans that weren’t able to get into the show so they were listening outside one of the exits off to the side of the stage. Glen had security leave the door open so that the fans were still able to listen if not see the show. He had his crew bring them water and made sure that they were okay (it was raining that night). I spotted some of the band members going outside when Glen was playing his songs solo. It was such a rare site to see a musician on his scale be so humble to everyone. After the set, a guy from the audience walked up to stage and slid his cd booklet to be signed (really tacky) but Glen took the time to sign it for him. At that point, the audience crowded around the stage getting autographs and pictures. He was really generous to, sign autographs and take pictures with everyone that asked. I was one of the last people in the venue so i got to chat with him for a few minutes and it was such a pleasure to meet him.

Swell Season was one of those shows that makes me remember why i love music so much- art dictates life and Swell Season are the artists that radiated truthfulness behind the art. As a result, Swell Season tops my concert list of 2007 because their music is reflective, transcendental, and most importantly, honest.