Good night, and joy be with you all - The Swell Season (Sydney, April 5)

On Monday we went to The Swell Season at the Opera House. There's something unique in seeing The Swell Season, its like two (or three) concerts in one. The three things I love about The Swell Season, are Glen and Marketa's ability to tell a story through song (and also in introducing songs); the genuine humility they seem to have about how fame struck them, and how they introduce people to the music they like. In addition to the songs they normally play, they invited LJ Hill onto the stage to play a song, they heard him him play at the Blues and Roots festival and were captivated by his songs. He played a song called 'The Pretty Bird Tree' which was just beautiful (and fitted into the night so well).

The highlights, in terms of the songs they played ... (that I expected and and the surprises) -- Gold (from Once); and two songs original recorded by The Frames (Lay Me Down; and Red Chord) and Marketa's performance of I Don't Know How to Love Him; in terms of the stories he told (about buying a grave, a tough man and tears on a plane ride, and the 'Irish' farewell), and just their presence on stage. It might have been me, but it seems that Marketa has got a little bit more comfortable, and is starting to talk a little more, and introduce songs with stories as like Glen with stories, before she introduced Fantasy Man she spoke of a Czech Easter tradition. It was quite sweet how he thanked the band, for letting him have time off to follow this road (and come along for the ride).

My recollection of the setlist is below, though I'm sure the order is wrong, I think all the songs are there:
Gold / Low Rising / If You Want Me To / High Hope / The Rain / In These Arms / Say it to me now / Lay Me Down / Leave / Astral Weeks / Fantasy Man / I Have Loved You Wrong / The Pretty Bird Tree [LJ Hill] / Feeling the Pull / Back Broke / The Court of New Town / When Your Minds Made Up // I Don't Know How to Love Him / Falling Slowly / Lies / Red Chord-Hey Day-Parting Glass.

In sum, I'd see them again tomorrow night, and love it just the same. I wonder whether the future has another Frame's album and tour in store... will be great to find out.