PHOTOS: NICK NEMPHOS | On Sunday night in Washington, Hamilton Leithauser reintroduced himself to fans as a solo artist. In a short set showcasing his debut album Black Hours, the former Walkmen front man proved himself as a musician worthy of his own following, with a vision all his.
But before we get to that, a note on the venue. For those used to the 9:30 Club or Black Cat, seeing a show at The Hamilton in downtown DC is an alien experience. When I sat down, the couple next to me was finishing their sushi and cheese board, while those on the other side ordered pizza and edamame. It’s not exactly the beer-stained floors of DC’s classic concert venues, but nor is it the old-school glamour that the Howard Theater is looking to cultivate.
No demographic dominated the crowd, which included hipster friends who remembered the Walkmen in their prime and The Rat as their break-up anthem of choice in college and their early ’20s (as did I); older couples sipping wine, out for a night of good music; and a few families peppering tables throughout.
While the venue should not be the story, it certainly played into the feeling of Sunday night’s show. The Hamilton’s live space is set up nicely, with good sound and fairly good site lines in a dinner theater style that feels un-crowded. But the style of venue would be much better suited to jazz than rock. Throughout the set, the audience clapped enthusiastically at the end of each song but sat in their seats, nearly still.
Leithauser’s songs are not all uptempo dance-inducing tracks, but most have a strong beat that I would think, normally, provokes some tapping toes and movement. After the second song, Leithauser remarked, “It’s quiet in here,” and a girl behind me yelled back, “Yeah, this place is weird.” It was a brief exchange that certainly illustrated the energy—or lack thereof—pervading the room.
Despite the quiet, Leithauser’s talent shone through. He took the stage in slim fitting black pants and a black blazer, hair slicked both up and back like a 1940s movie star. His imposing height instantly drew the eye. The set started, somewhat ironically as he noted, with “I Retired,” off of Black Hours. For anyone who had so much listened to the Walkmen, Leithauser’s voice was instantly recognizable. He excels at infusing songs with emotion and drama, hitting high notes with control and, oftentimes, just a little tension to emphasize his point and somehow make the low notes seem even lower.
Leithauser is not one to shy away from sentiment on stage. Midway through the set during “I’ll Never Love Again,” one of the tracks that only appears on the deluxe version of the record, Leithauser put down his guitar and stood facing the audience. He forcefully grabbed the mic stand, swinging it around to the side, emphasizing the melodrama inherent in the lyrics.
His band consists of a rotating cast of musicians, but on Sunday night they included Paul Maroon, Walkmen guitarist and Black Hours collaborator, on guitar and marimba, and Kevin Barker on bass, as well as his lovely wife Anna Stumpf singing back up and his brother-in-law Nick Stumpf on piano and the occasional bongo drum. Unsurprisingly given the make-up of the musicians, it was a comfortable feeling on stage with the band playing easily together.
With the band’s strengths backing him, Leithauser was free to show off his vocal talent, which was often overlooked during his helm of the Walkmen. On Sunday, this was perhaps most obvious in “5 AM,” Black Hours’ lead track and a nostalgic, Sinatra-inspired song. In what can best be described as “crooning,” Leithauser sang to the microphone, evoking the jazz age of the past and pulling the audience back in time with him. Leithauser crooned, “Do you ever wonder why I sing these love songs / When I have no love at all?” Backed adeptly by Maroon on guitar, it was a poignant moment that managed to avoid veering into silliness. It also made clear that Leithauser has complete control over his famed growls and yelps, the raggedness that gives his voice distinction.
The set ended with “I Don”t Need Anyone,” which, much like “Alexandra,” is an upbeat, poppy track with rockabilly undertones that complement Leithauser’s vocals. A short encore later and the show was over, less than an hour after it began. It was a quick glimpse into Leithauser’s hopes for his career and his music. While clearly reminiscent of the Walkmen’s sound, Leithauser is beginning to create a space for himself, apart from the band. Sunday’s show revealed that he is well on his way to just as successful of a solo career.
Opening for Leithauser was singer-songwriter Mackenzie Scott, who writes and performs under the name TORRES. Decked out in cowboy hat and embroidered shirt, the Brooklyn-based Scott embraced her Nashville and Macon, Georgia, roots sartorially while also allowing them to shine through selectively in her music. Scott was comfortable on stage with only her guitar, strumming and singing her emotionally-charged songs.
Her sound is slow and dark, with complicated lyrical compositions that touch on honest subjects and which pay homage to artists before her like PJ Harvey or Fiona Apple. Her voice is smooth and can be beautiful, but she knows how to manipulate it and was unafraid to express the anguish and anger that permeate her songs. On a few tracks, her drummer joined Scott onstage. The percussion provided a welcome additional layer to her live performance but, often left me wanting to experience her music further with a full band.
Stripped down, however, hearing TORRES live is captivating. Her lyrics can be profound but also familiar, with lines like on her closing song, “Honey.” She sang, “Honey / While you were ashing in your coffee / I was thinking ’bout telling you / What you’ve done to me.” We can’t all write songs like this, but we can certainly relate to the experiences and the emotions about which Scott so beautifully sang.
