CANT (Chris Taylor), with Blood Orange and Luke Temple
Chris Taylor of CANT | ©Shelby Mongan
WHERE? Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL
WHEN? October 18th, 2011
It’s refreshing to come into a concert with little knowledge and few expectations. Chris Taylor, bassist from Grizzly Bear, is touring under the solo moniker CANT and stopped by Lincoln Hall. Armed with a casual appreciation for the Grizzly Bear discography and only one full play through of CANT’s release Dreams Come True, I was able to go into the show with an open mind.
Taylor is a talented bloke and has truly utilized his recent time off. Since the 2009 release of Veckatimest and the subsequent promotion, he started Terrible Records, produced multiple records for that label, and recorded and produced his own solo album. He tours now behind Dreams Come True, a release as hypnagogic as the name implies. Label mate Blood Orange joins him on that tour, as well as Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic.
Luke Temple | ©Shelby Mongan
First and most obvious to note is the remarkable talent of the musicians on stage that night. Bass may be Taylor’s choice instrument, at which he expectedly excels, but he made his skills on guitar clear throughout the show. His vocals were on point and clean which is less than surprising for a voice as recognizable and skilled as his. It was not a show that relied on gimmicks or kitsch. There was only a little bit of stage banter and it honestly seemed just to be modest filler between songs. The show was simply four talented musicians on stage, playing inspired songs.
Taylor was joined by a full band — synth, guitar, bass, drums/drum pad — with a healthy dose of electronic backing track. Their performances were airtight. Through that, the album came alive on stage. What in headphones was a unique album intervening in traditional band sounds with synth became a sprawling and rich experience. Taylor’s creations were fleshed out in a way only incredible live performances can do.
My only complaint, which is and of itself minor, is that I felt Taylor and his band lacked the command that a headlining band should have over an audience. I half expected the real openers to come out after the CANT set was finished. When the songs were in full swing, the band was certainly enrapturing but in between songs, Taylor sounded like he was genuinely surprised by the crowd size and interest. While for some that may read as endearing modesty, I was frustrated at feeling a lack of commanding presence on stage. For someone with the experience that he has, there should be more confidence.
Blood Orange (Devonté Hynes) | ©Shelby Mongan
Still, the concert overall was a fantastic experience. Blood Orange put on an engrossing set, giving the 21st century’s answer to the one-man band. Devonte Hynes, under the moniker Blood Orange but known also as Lightspeed Champion, played primarily while standing on the floor, building on prerecorded tracks with deft guitar playing and stunning vocals. (Hynes played bass/guitar in the CANT band as well.) It was a charismatic performance to be sure, although it felt at times as if I was spying on a musician playing by himself in his room. Luke Temple brought a more stripped down sound to the bill that fit perfectly with the dreary autumn day in Chicago. His voice was dripping with honesty and it accompanied simple guitar (and keyboard for part of the set).
I have said before and will gladly go on record to say again, Lincoln Hall is one of the best venues in Chicago. Spotless, a perfect middle ground of size, great sound throughout the venue, well-done lights and production, and a continuously varied bill, it is consistently one of my favorite places in the city (especially if you’re a fan of macaroni and cheese).
Again, I went into this show with an open mind and a generally blank slate. I came out with an appreciation for solid sets of well-written, well-performed music. It was no spectacle in any way but it was entertaining and impressive, to say the least.
