Review and photos by Chris Bowman Photography

Newport Music Hall owns the title of “America’s Longest Continually Running Rock Club” and it never fails to provide an incredible atmosphere to see a live show. When I saw that City and Colour was coming to town and bringing Noah Gundersen along with them, I knew that I had to be there. The show was about as solid as they come and I don’t think a single person left that night disappointed or wanting more.

Seattle native Noah Gundersen nonchalantly took the stage to kick the night off. As he stepped out to an almost pitch black stage the crowd was still loudly chattering and until he strummed the first chord on his guitar I’m not sure they even knew he was there. Gundersen played both unreleased songs such as “Fear and Loathing” and “Bad Desire” as well as a few more well known ones such as “Ledges” and “Cigarettes”. If you’ve never had a chance to see Gundersen live then I would highly recommend it. He has a clear talent in song writing and is a no-frills performer but will leave you in awe at the amount of real emotion he packs into every song. You’re also bound to chuckle a few times such as when he welcomed the crowd to “the sad bastards tour”.

After a short break, City and Colour took the stage to a roaring crowd. They opened up with a song titled “Woman” off of their most recent album, If I Should Go Before You. The crowd was active and responsive all night as front man Dallas Green hit note after note and looked right at home on the front of the stage. Their sound was both ambient and ethereal at times as well as very stripped down and simplistic at other points. City and Colour is one of the most polished and tight live bands that I’ve heard in a long time and I would go to another show in a heart beat if given the opportunity. The most captivating moment of the show is when Green sang a keys and synth driven version of “Sensible Heart” lit by only one single spotlight. The band covered hit songs such as “The Girl” and “Lover Come Back to Me” which turned into crowd sing alongs. After leaving the stage, Green came back to deafening cheers to perform two songs, “Body in a Box” and “Comin’ Home” by himself with only an acoustic guitar. The band then joined him to close the night out playing “Wasted Love” and “Hope for Now”.

Make sure to check out Gundersen’s newest album “Carry The Ghost” and my personal favorite, “Ledges”. If you’re unfamiliar with City and Colour then do yourself a favor and listen to everything they’ve ever recorded.