Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, Ltd.

There are artists whose impact upon our lives go beyond mere enjoyment; their works have a profound impact upon our lives.  For me, The Choir is one of those artists, and I was thus very excited when I heard they were coming to the San Antonio area on their acoustic tour.  I have only been able to see them live once before, in Memphis, TN during the Free Flying Soul Tour in 1996.  I was finishing my last semester of high school, and that concert was a kind of high point to that early part of my life; for many (myself included) high school is a rough time (and one that I fail to understand the nostalgia for), but The Choir was always a bright spot in my life.

The Choir played at the coffee house of Journey Fellowship, a church on I-35 in Selma, TX.  The venue was well suited to this small acoustic tour.  The crowd was small but dedicated, and showed something that Steve Hindalong (The Choir’s drummer and primary lyricist) said about their music: that they “have not sown wide but deep.”

Opening for them was Lainey Wright, a singer/songwriter from Austin, TX.  Fitting with the intimate feel of the venue, she accompanied herself on guitar.  I had never heard of her before this concert, but I came away impressed by the depth of her lyrics and music.  Contained within what might initially seem to be simple songs are flourishes of brilliance, such as her almost jazzy vocals on her song “Undone.”

Wright was followed by Chris Taylor, a musician and artist based in San Antonio.  He was accompanied by saxophonist Onel Jimenez.  I found it somewhat ironic that Taylor had a saxophonist with him, but that The Choir’s Dan Michaels (who plays saxophone) was not available to accompany them.  The combination of Taylor on electric guitar and Jimenez on saxophone created an interesting dynamic.  This was especially prevalent on Taylor’s cover of “House of the Rising Sun” combined with “Amazing Grace,” a combination that I have heard before but that was given new life by Taylor’s expressive vocals and Jimenez’s extemporaneous sax solos.

I had seen a version of The Choir’s acoustic set online; they had done a live broadcast on Ustream (still available for viewing on their website), but even though I was familiar with these versions of the songs from seeing that and listening to their latest album, De-Plumed, seeing Hindalong and Daugherty live was a treat.  These guys are amazing musicians, and watching artists do their thing is a great experience.  Hindalong is especially fun to watch; he has always been one of my favorite drummers, but he may have made it into first position with his innovative use of percussion in these shows.

Another great thing about seeing them live is the stories connected to the songs.  I particularly like the story that Derri tells about “Mercy Lives Here” from their Flap Your Wings album; the song becomes more real when you know the backgroun.d behind it.  That the Cairo bar in Akron, Ohio is a real place with such a diverse cast of characters is not only amazing but very humbling when we consider the message of the song.

I also really enjoyed Steve Hindalong playing and singing “God of Wonders,” which he co-wrote with Marc Byrd.   In an interesting coincidence, Jen and I (with a couple of friends) went to see Third Day the Sunday after The Choir, and they also did the song (as Mac Powell sings it on City on a Hill).  While I am moved by the song every time I hear it, Steve’s version of it (I hesitate to call it a “performance” because I feel that betrays the spirit of it) was more special.  It was more vulnerable and personal hearing it on a single guitar with a small group of people than in a large sanctuary with hundreds.

In the end, this concert was a special time for me and all of those who see The Choir on this acoustic tour.  For years I had basically given up on ever seeing them live again, and if this really is the last time they tour, I’m thankful that they were able to come to Texas.