Glen Hansard: The Anti-Bono

A few years ago I attended my first concert held in a large sporting arena when U2 sold out the United Center in Chicago.  It was overwhelming; just the fact that it was a shared experience among tens-of-thousands of concert-goers made it overwhelming.

The band made sure to use the space to full effect.  As the lights dimmed, and the crowd was blasted by a light show that extended to the top tiers of the arena.  Walls of sounds pounded out from the massive speakers along stage, as U2 opened with their big song, “Vertigo.”  And at the top of the stage, Bono howled the highest notes he could sing…while doing what almost seemed like jazzercise.  (Just as an aside, as much as I appreciate U2’s music, there are times when Bono’s onstage antics irk me to no end).  Still, it goes without saying that U2 is among the greatest bands still playing together, and several of their songs rank among my favorites.

But I recently attended a concert that can only be described as completely opposite to my U2 experience.  The Chicago Theater hosted The Swell Season, featuring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova back on June 18.  This venue is but a fraction in size compared to the United Center; over three-thousand seats in the Chicago Theater as opposed to United Center’s twenty-thousand plus.  The light show was hardly worth mentioning, and the sound system was not even close to the power of the United Center.

But paradoxically, with though these stripped down conditions, the show was just as powerful, and arguably more focused, than my experience at the United Center.

Credit for this accomplishment rests squarely on the power of Glen Hansard’s voice.  Opening with “Say It to Me Now,” Hansard took to the stage, and walked right past the microphone.  Unamplified, he was able to project the raw emotion of the song, while invoking the opening images of movie “Once,” which was from where many of the songs of the night came.

It was entirely appropriate, a perfect fit, for such haunting music.  The audience, seated throughout the show, listened intently, lingering on every note played.  Along with Hansard, Marketa Irglova added such delicacy with her voice, complimenting Hansard’s rougher tones.

And although the audience was seated for much of the show, it was not to say that they were not involved in the least bit.  Hansard kept them engaged with his sincere and genuinely funny banter between songs.  And the audience rose twice, giving two standing ovations even before the end of the concert.  Particularly poignant was when the band played the Oscar winning song “Falling Slowly,” as Hansard offered a new interpretation of the lyrics in light of the current election year in America: “take this sinking boat and point it home/we’ve still got time.”

(Another aside: Hansard mentioned that Barak Obama was in attendance, but without any spotlight placed on him, it was difficult to determine if that really was the case.)

Overall, it was rare concert to be found these days, when many concerts simply offer too much to hear, and not enough to listen to.  (The concert can be downloaded at playedlastnight.com.)

Welcome to Creation Station

While majoring in Art & Design, I was taught creativity does not come in a vacuum.  It is inspired from anywhere and everywhere, from all sorts of experiences unique to the individual.  This is what I hope to journal through this site: experiences and reactions from various pieces that linger in my memories.  It can come from all sorts of sources, expressed through different media.  No one discipline takes precedence over another.  It could come from a movie, or a book, or song, or any other resource.

I hope to develop the site from different perspectives.  Entries will include analyses and critques on some of the contributions from the more popular artists out there, reflecting on how or why they were influential.  What exactly makes a great movie, perhaps canonized in the journals of Roger Ebert?  How does one photograph invoke a particular mood?  What makes a good piece of fiction?  Understanding the creator is part of it; examine technique is part of it, too.

And through this site, I’m also hoping that those with any creative inclination can engage in discourse regarding these subjects.  Like I said, creativity does not come in a vacuum, so I would encourage those reading these articles to please take part and participate, both for your benefit, and mine.  I seek to learn as much as to write and reflect on these things.  Welcome!