PHOTOS: BRIGID GALLAGHER | Touring to promote his new album, Carrie & Lowell, Sufjan Stevens played his first of two shows at famed Chicago Theatre last Friday and created a beautifully intimate experience for the mesmerized, sold out crowd. Stevens focused mostly on his new material, playing all 11 songs on the album, while also sprinkling in fan favorites throughout the night. As opposed to his previous tours, this show leaned more towards a poetry reading than a rock production, but like always it highlighted Stevens songwriting prowess and intense passion.
Little Scream opened up the show, and while they were a bit timid, they fit with the mood in the room and worked well to warm up the audience. Lead singer, Laurel Sprengelmeyer, made a point of telling the audience how much she’s been enjoying touring with Sufjan Stevens and how she cries every night during his performance.
After a short break, the lights came down and the crowd cheered with excitement as Stevens entered the room. From the moment he stepped onstage, Stevens was completely in the moment and never stepped outside his focused demeanor. In fact, it almost seemed as though he was unaware that there was a crowd in front of him at all, and instead concentrated inward toward the memories of his past. Stevens’ new album is an honest and emotional piece, centered around the passing of his mother in 2012. As he sings each song, you can see the anguish in his eyes and feel the passion behind his words. You simply can’t help but be drawn into his captivating energy.
At various points the show was stripped down to just Stevens voice and an acoustic guitar or piano, and the confidence he emitted was astounding. The seated audience of nearly 4,000 silently hung on Stevens every word as he guided the room through his emotional past. His instrumentation was spot on and crisp, and his voice warmed the room with delicacy.
Certain songs stuck close to the original, but others like “Should Have Known Better” and “Fourth of July” landed much more powerfully in the live arena. As he went into classics such as “Futile Devices” and “To Be Alone With You,” the crowd bubbled with excitement as nostalgia spread through the room. “Blue Buckets of Gold” closed out the set, and contained an outstanding build up that coordinated perfectly with the frantic light show. It was the most impressive instrumentation of the evening and left the crowd stunned as it waited for the encore.
After running through a couple more fan favorites, Stevens took a moment to address the audience for the first time of the evening and spoke on the concept of occupying space. He explained his belief that when loved ones die they cease to occupy a physical space, but their spirit lives on and occupies space within the hearts of those who loved them. According to Stevens, he uses his live shows to meditate on his past memories while also absorbing the live experience he is currently occupying. Suddenly Stevens’ seemingly unawareness of the crowd made much more sense, and people applauded with gaping stares as they processed his profound words.
To close out the show, Stevens’ broke into the much anticipated “Chicago,” and the crowd enjoyed the sentimental tale with teary eyes and heavy hearts. The performance was truly moving, and the audience left smiling as they reflected back on the memorable evening. One thing’s for certain, Sufjan Stevens knows how to leave his mark on the hearts of his audience.
LITTLE SCREAM
