Dynamic duo joan dropped in Portland this week for their 2020 US tour, which happens to be their first headlining tour. They brought energy and devoted fans from all over the city to see the spectacle that was their performances. Compromised of Alan Benjamin Thomas on vocals, guitar, and keyboard; and Steven Rutherford on drums and vocals, the group provides a powerhouse of musical talent felt through our pacific city.
Though their tour is nearing the end of its run, the band came with the energy that made it feel as if it was opening night. Sporting full-sized vertical light fixtures and a large glowing sign reading ‘joan’ (yes, every lowercase proper noun I include in this is intentional), the band created an atmosphere coincidentally mirroring a piece in the Portland Art Museum (we see you, joan). The duo did not come to play with their setlist, either. Though they have not released a full body of work since their 2018 EP porta, the band won over the crowd with some old and some new. Of course, they played favorites like “love somebody like you” and their newest single, “ease your mind”, making the crowd SCREAM every single word to each song. But wait, what’s this? New songs? That’s right. The band whipped out SIX unreleased songs, making a little over a third of the whole set new music. My favorite they played was one called “magnetic”, and I’m PRAYING these songs are part of an upcoming project that’s releasing soon. The light tech really made the new songs come to life with bright flashes of purple and yellow, making the aforementioned song “magnetic” feel like you’re going to get pulled on stage.
Onto your Ontarian queen, Ralph. Ralph is on tour with joan as the supporting act, in promotion for her newest venture, Flashbacks & Fantasies. Though the crowd took a second to warm up to her (and I mean a literal second, she wasted no time turning on the charm, she had them ready to dance IMMEDIATELY), she really made some connections by speaking on some really important topics her songs covered, mainly a song called “Headphone Season”, and how it’s about ignoring unsolicited comments by men on the street. Wouldn’t it be great if people would just mind their own business? Ralph continued her set with new single “Superbloom” and fan-favorite, “Gravity”, both such transcendent songs and really showing her skills not just as a songwriter, but also as an instrumentalist. Those instrumentals came through, because she had everyone dancing and jumping with “Gravity” as the last song, leaving a void when she came off the stage. Not a problem, though! She came out to the merch booth to meet some fans between sets, where after I asked if she’d be coming back to Portland and playing “Gimme” (my favorite song by her, EVER) and she told me she’d be playing the song on her Canada tour. Listen, if we’re being completely honest, I’m very willing to drive five hours to see her in Vancouver to see that through. I’m under her spell, and what about it?
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By: CJ Hueso | Exclusively for @Music, Why Not!
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