As a long-time fan, I’ve seen Anberlin do shows in venues small enough to make 30 people feel like a crowd and large enough to get lost in a sea of people. Now, with a decade of material to call upon and their newly released album, Vital, I wasn’t sure what this show would bring.
Anberlin
Walking in I was excited as I realized that Venue was the perfect size to allow the audience to connect with the band in a way I haven’t been able to experience in years. While the first opener, Make Do and Mend, didn’t wow me, the second opening band, Paper Route, has been making a name for themselves this tour (they are set to go on tour with Imagine Dragons this month) and I got a chance to see why. J.T. Daly shined with clean vocals that were enhanced by the band’s fresh sound and they did a fantastic job bringing up the energy before Anberlin came out.
As Anberlin stepped onto the stage it was clear that this was a room filled with long-time fans, which can be a blessing and a curse. While the love for them was apparent, so were the comparisons to past performances. This was the last show of their Tour de Vital and it was apparent how burnt out the band was. Stephen Christian’s vocals, while as on-pitch and beautiful as ever, were weaker than I’ve heard before and proved hard to hear at times. Always the professionals, they performed each song with energy and sincerity but the connection wasn’t as strong as I’ve seen before. Despite all that this was a crowd with the kind of love and passion that isn’t easily dissuaded.
Despite this tour being a follow-up to their newest album release, I was excited to see Anberlin play some of their classics from Cities and Never Take Friendship Personal. Tracks like, “The Unwinding Cable Car” and “Paper Thin Hymn,” were welcomed by an excited crowd, ready and willing to sing along.
For me this show lacked the connection and intensity that I’m used to seeing Anberin bring but being back in a place like Venue reminded me of why I fell in love with their sound to begin with. The power of Anberlin’s music is the rawness of their songs and the wordplay in their lyrics, something that is best experienced when they take the production out of their performance and play with a more acoustic sound. With a voice unlike any other in music, Stephen’s masterful sound is most beautifully showcased when the instruments balance and he follows the purity of their melodies.
Just as this tour wraps up, Anberlin is readying to embark on an acoustic tour. If you happen to be in the States this summer this is something not to be missed, as there are few voices in music that are as captivating and unique as that of Stephen Christian.
Anberlin - Summer 2013 Acoustic Tour Dates:
June 21 - Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird
June 22 - Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco
June 24 - Dallas, TX @ The Door
June 26 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
June 27 - Fort Collins, CO @ Aggie Theatre
June 28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
June 29 - Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club
July 01 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
July 02 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
July 03 - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
July 05 - Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
July 06 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada
July 07 - Omaha, NE @ The Slowdown
July 08 - Chicago, IL @ SubT
July 10 - Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe
July 11 - Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
July 12 - Atlanta, GA @ The Loft at Center Stage
July 13 - St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theater
--by Hayhlee Clarence
As Anberlin stepped onto the stage it was clear that this was a room filled with long-time fans, which can be a blessing and a curse. While the love for them was apparent, so were the comparisons to past performances. This was the last show of their Tour de Vital and it was apparent how burnt out the band was. Stephen Christian’s vocals, while as on-pitch and beautiful as ever, were weaker than I’ve heard before and proved hard to hear at times. Always the professionals, they performed each song with energy and sincerity but the connection wasn’t as strong as I’ve seen before. Despite all that this was a crowd with the kind of love and passion that isn’t easily dissuaded.
Despite this tour being a follow-up to their newest album release, I was excited to see Anberlin play some of their classics from Cities and Never Take Friendship Personal. Tracks like, “The Unwinding Cable Car” and “Paper Thin Hymn,” were welcomed by an excited crowd, ready and willing to sing along.
For me this show lacked the connection and intensity that I’m used to seeing Anberin bring but being back in a place like Venue reminded me of why I fell in love with their sound to begin with. The power of Anberlin’s music is the rawness of their songs and the wordplay in their lyrics, something that is best experienced when they take the production out of their performance and play with a more acoustic sound. With a voice unlike any other in music, Stephen’s masterful sound is most beautifully showcased when the instruments balance and he follows the purity of their melodies.
Just as this tour wraps up, Anberlin is readying to embark on an acoustic tour. If you happen to be in the States this summer this is something not to be missed, as there are few voices in music that are as captivating and unique as that of Stephen Christian.
Anberlin - Summer 2013 Acoustic Tour Dates:
June 21 - Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird
June 22 - Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco
June 24 - Dallas, TX @ The Door
June 26 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
June 27 - Fort Collins, CO @ Aggie Theatre
June 28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
June 29 - Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club
July 01 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
July 02 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
July 03 - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
July 05 - Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
July 06 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada
July 07 - Omaha, NE @ The Slowdown
July 08 - Chicago, IL @ SubT
July 10 - Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe
July 11 - Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
July 12 - Atlanta, GA @ The Loft at Center Stage
July 13 - St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theater
--by Hayhlee Clarence
