Singer/songwriter Dallas Green – better known as City and Colour – will stop by the Calvin Theatre in Northampton this Friday.
Beginning in 2005 with his debut album “Sometimes,” Green has been producing most of his works as a one-man band, one instrument at a time. City and Colour has won several Juno Awards over the last few years, including Alternative Album of the Year (2007 for “Sometimes”), Artist of the Year (2009 and 2012) and Songwriter of the Year (2012.)
Although the past three years have been quiet for Green, he has made a strong comeback with his new album “If I Should Go Before You,” which was released Oct. 9. The album kicks off with the nine-minute long track “Woman,” which sounds something like the lovechild of the yearning tones of Hozier and the crisp vocals and catchy beats of Ed Sheeran’s edgier side.
The blend of influences in City and Colour’s music meet somewhere in the middle of light and heavy. With songs for the folk lovers, country rednecks, hard-rockers and everyone in between, it’s hard to decide from whom Green was mainly influenced. In addition to these many sounds, Green also worked with P!nk in the duo You+Me, and had a minor hit with its folky, October 2014 single “You and Me.”
This is all on top of where Green got his start, as also the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for screamo, post-hardcore band Alexisonfire.
The name “City and Colour,” along with the common stereotypes of singer-songwriter acts might make one envision some kind of dreamy, cotton candy and rainbow kind of commercial pop, but this act is anything but. The name comes from Green himself- Dallas, the city, and Green, the color. But, don’t judge this book by its cover- a rose by any other name would truly smell as sweet. Green’s full-sounding instrumentals combined with his rich vocals create a sound that makes you want to close your eyes and just feel it.
City and Colour’s live band features Jack Lawrence from the Raconteurs and Dead Weather on the bass, Dante Schwebel from Spanish Gold on the guitar, Doug MacGregor from Constantines on the drums, and Matt Kelly on the pedal steel and keys.
Bahamas, also known as Afie Jurvanen, will open for City and Colour this weekend. Also a native Canadian, this self-taught guitarist has worked with big names including Jack Johnson and Howie Beck. Bahamas took home two Juno Awards this year, for Adult Alternative Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. Bahamas’ sound mixes the vocals of Jack Johnson and the instrumentals of indie rock with a folky twist. His most recent album, “Bahamas is Afie,” was released in August 2014.
City and Colour’s performance at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton this Friday is set to begin at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $29.50-$39.50 and can be purchased at the Iron Horse Entertainment Group website.
Morgan Hughes can be reached at [email protected].
