Tom Chaplin
All text and images ©2016 David Hill Photography
Port City Music Hall
Portland, Maine
January 21, 2017
5/5
Portland, Maine
January 21, 2017
5/5
Tom Chaplin brought his Carried By the Wave tour to Port City Music Hall in Portland, Maine on Saturday January 21, 2017. With a small, but enthusiastic crowd, Tom and his four bandmates played for nearly two hours.
Chaplin is the front man for English band Keane, who are currently on hiatus. His debut solo record, The Wave was released in the US just over a week prior to his appearance in Portland, and the set leaned heavily on the new album. Every track from The Wave was played, interspersed with some favorites from his days with Keane. Some of the highlights were "Solid Gold", "Quicksand", and "Bring the Rain" from his solo offering, and "Everybody's Changing", "Sovereign Light Café", and an especially moving rendition of "Bedshaped" from the Keane catalog.
The band, featuring Rosie Langley on synth and violin, Sebastian Sternberg on drums, pianist Tobie Tripp, and Beau Holland on guitar and bass, was outstanding. As amazing as they were, the show was stolen by Chaplin's voice. On this night he was incredible, hitting the highs, the lows and everything in between with emotion and sweetness.
Chaplin scattered stories about some of the songs, his drug addiction, and subsequent recovery throughout the evening which really resonated with the audience. In an especially lighthearted moment, Chaplin recounted having lunch in Portland, and of course, he had not one, but two lobsters; because they are delicious. Apparently guitarist Beau Holland refused to have any because of his concerns over how they are cooked, to which Chaplin told him they scream as they are put into the water, at which point he apologized to any vegetarians in the room.
If you enjoy intimate performances from great musicians playing meaningful songs, this is a show you'll want to see. His current tour runs through February 3rd.
Chaplin is the front man for English band Keane, who are currently on hiatus. His debut solo record, The Wave was released in the US just over a week prior to his appearance in Portland, and the set leaned heavily on the new album. Every track from The Wave was played, interspersed with some favorites from his days with Keane. Some of the highlights were "Solid Gold", "Quicksand", and "Bring the Rain" from his solo offering, and "Everybody's Changing", "Sovereign Light Café", and an especially moving rendition of "Bedshaped" from the Keane catalog.
The band, featuring Rosie Langley on synth and violin, Sebastian Sternberg on drums, pianist Tobie Tripp, and Beau Holland on guitar and bass, was outstanding. As amazing as they were, the show was stolen by Chaplin's voice. On this night he was incredible, hitting the highs, the lows and everything in between with emotion and sweetness.
Chaplin scattered stories about some of the songs, his drug addiction, and subsequent recovery throughout the evening which really resonated with the audience. In an especially lighthearted moment, Chaplin recounted having lunch in Portland, and of course, he had not one, but two lobsters; because they are delicious. Apparently guitarist Beau Holland refused to have any because of his concerns over how they are cooked, to which Chaplin told him they scream as they are put into the water, at which point he apologized to any vegetarians in the room.
If you enjoy intimate performances from great musicians playing meaningful songs, this is a show you'll want to see. His current tour runs through February 3rd.
Tom Chaplin brought his solo tour Carried By the Wave to Portland, Maine
