Gregory Alan Isakov
Mount Baker Theatre, Seattle, WA
01.24.25
Gregory Alan Isakov began his Winter 2024 Tour in Bellingham, WA, a city that, years ago, helped kick off his career. Yes, Bellingham is colloquially referred to as “The City of Subdued Excitement”, but the excitement for Isakov’s return to the history Mount Baker Theatre was a popular topic of conversation for weeks downtown. Friday’s sold out show, which boasted a waitlist of over 100 hopeful concertgoers, did not disappoint.
Billed as “An Intimate Evening with Gregory Alan Isakov”, the simple, barebones, but nonetheless stunning stage direction served as the perfect backdrop for what Isakov described as “kitchen table versions of these songs.” The night began with Isakov solo, on a stage adorned by twinkling fairy lights, a backdrop that looked like a historic, glass image of the grand canyon, and a globe with Africa facing the audience (likely an homage to his South African roots).
The world debut of the brand new stunner “Ashes of Our Elders” resonated through the rafters, melding perfectly into 2018’s “Southern Star.” Flanked by longtime tour mate and guitar aficionado Steve Varney, Isakov transitioned into “Miles to Go” and “Silver Bell”, stopping in between to acknowledge that he was actually a bit nervous for this tour, as he “didn’t want to bore anyone” with the more scaled down versions of his songs. His worry, while understandable, proved unnecessary given the crowd’s rapturous reception.
One of the night’s highlights came when Gregory’s brother, Ilan Isakov, joined him on stage at the piano for a cover of Ilan’s track “Desdemone.” Describing him as, “a truly wonderful artist who makes beautiful scores for some boring documentaries”, the brotherly joking was well-received and one of the many moments of levity in a night of songs that often drip with a hard-won melancholy.
“Watchman” and “Appaloosa Bones” rounded out the night before the encore. After a short break, Isakov’s trio returned to the stage to bless the crowd with his reflective, stunningly beautiful rendition of Iron & WIne’s “The Trapeze Singer” – a final gift to his loyal local fanbase after an evening filled with euphonious harmonies and spirited performance. Hugs amongst the three led to genuine bows of appreciation for the capacity crowd. After the house lights came up and the audience spilled back out onto the chilly sidewalk and into the street, groups of attendees gathered to marvel at the joy of their shared experience: excited, and not the least bit subdued.
Photos and Review by Sattva Photo
