I just got back from seeing "The Swell Season" at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, CA, and all I can say is "wow". I think that the moral of the story is - if Glen Hansard is playing a show (with The Frames, Swell Season, or whatever) in your town, you had better go. I missed the last time that Glen and "The Swell Season" played in the bay area, but I'm glad that I didn't miss this one.

The opening act was Rónán Ó Snodaigh and Liam Ó Maonlaí - the played some more traditional Irish music, which while interesting, only served to get me ready for the main event.

On my way in to see "The Swell Season"

Swell Season is primarily Glen and Markéta Irglová from the movie "Once", but they were also backed up by a few members of The Frames, and they played quite a few Frames songs - far more than I expected (not that I'm complaining - because I'm not!). However it didn't matter who was on stage or what was being played - the crowd was held in rapt attention. Glen started the show off by playing "Say It to Me Now" - but instead of singing into the microphone, he instead stepped in front of it, and just used the power of his voice. Now let me say this - the acoustics inside of the Paramount are pretty amazing. Because, the crowd went absolutely dead silent, and yet sitting near the very back of the theatre, I was able to hear Glen perfectly. It was an amazing moment, and a brilliant way to start off the show.

The other amazing moment that more than made it worth my while came during the first encore. At one point, Glen asked the crowd what they wanted to hear. I hollered for "Fitzcarraldo", and amazingly, that's what they decided to play. It was totally amazing, and capped off an already perfect evening.

Taken as a whole, just like when I saw The Frames, this show brought me back to what it means to go and see live music. Glen & co. cracked jokes, improvised, went to some place emotional, blew us away and had fun while they were doing it. In this day and age when so much of the media that I consume feels "manufactured", going to see something like The Swell Season is just downright refreshing.

Here's my attempt at a setlist:

1. Say It to Me Now
2. Your Face (Frames song)
3. Lies
4. This Low
5. Your Love Makes Me Cheerful (? - this was a new song)
6. When Your Mind's Made Up
7. A new song, with Markéta singing and playing guitar, and Glen sortof playing piano.
8. Falling Slowly


At this point, Glen played the following songs solo

9. Leave
10. What Happens When The Heart Just Stops (Frames song)
11. Lay Me Down (Frames song)


End solo

12. A cover, that Glen said he used to play while busking when he wanted to make some cash. I didn't catch the name of the song, but he played it with Markéta and Rónán Ó Snodaigh.
13. Once


Encore

14. If You Want Me (amazing song, and done especially well live)
15. Violin solo by Colm Mac Con Iomaire, which I also heard him play when I saw The Frames last year
16. True (Frames song)
17. Fitzcarraldo (Frames song)
18. Star Star (Frames Song - medley with "Happy Birthday" sung to someone in the audience)
19. In to the Mystic - Van Morrison cover

-Andy.