It’s hard to believe that the first band José González was in played hardcore, as his gentle and introspective sound is miles away from that world. Playing a nylon-stringed guitar, his soft voice is a like a balm, bringing peace and calm to anyone who hears it. He kicked off his US tour last night in support of his fifth record, Against The Dying Of The Light and of course played some cherished songs from his back catalogue in addition to showcasing the new material, closing out the night with a cover of “Blackbird.”
LA via Toronto native Abby Sage had the stage first, joined by her bandmate and compadre Eva Hilton. I wasn’t familiar with her, and while her debut record is a full-band affair, tonight it would be stripped back to two voices, a guitar (sometimes two) and bass. She’s got a distinctive voice, kind of like how suede feels like when you rub it against the grain; some similarities exist texturally between her and Jessica Pratt or Marissa Nadler. She was clearly having fun, giggling and laughing between songs. Question of the night – I’m still not sure why Hilton needed a gigantic pedal board as he didn’t change her guitar tone at all.
