City and Colour : Dallas Green // Komedia

It’s Saturday afternoon and I’m racing through the Brighton crowds to catch the start of Dallas Green’s debut solo show under the moniker of City and Colour. I enter the Komedia to find hundreds of Toni & Guy haircuts and skinny jean clad fans cross-legged on the floor in preparation for the man himself on stage. As one fifth of Canadian super screamers Alexisonfire, success is no stranger to Dallas, having scored two successful albums across the world with another on the way from the group later this summer. Today however, is all about Mr Green and as he steps on stage in the candle-lit venue the crowd erupts with claps of excitement and anticipation. The set-up is simple enough; Dallas and his guitar guiding us through all ten songs from his debut solo effort ‘Sometimes’ plus a cover or two.

From the very first note complete hush falls across the room with audience members stunned into silence by his haunting vocals to songs Sam Malone and Like Knives. Many would find it hard keeping an audience engaged at such a stripped-down early afternoon show, Dallas however has no such problems. It’s clear that many of his hard-core of fans are in attendance today with the show selling out weeks ago. For many however, this is the first time they have witnessed his voice in a live situation and no one is disappointed. The vulnerability of his songs resonate with the crowd giving every line he sings genuine emotion.

As the afternoon progresses applause is constant and peppered with the odd request from fans for the artists personal items, ranging from used water bottles (“that’s just weird” is Dallas’s reply), to the guitar he is holding, which is simply laughed at by both Dallas and most of the audience. Stand out moments include his latest single ‘Save Your Scissors’ to which everyone in the room sings along and the emotive Casey’s Song causing complete attentive silence. We are treated to humorous anecdotes from Dallas between songs including several jokey insults thrown to his numerous British friends who have come along to support him this afternoon and for me, that’s what was so great about this gig. The relaxed intimacy of the venue created the feeling that you were sitting in your own living room listening to one of your best mates play some of the most amazing songs you’ve ever heard. The affability of the show didn’t stop at the last song either, with Dallas spending the best part of forty minutes after the show talking to fans and signing autographs confirming that he takes none of his fans support for granted.

Although Dallas has made his commitment to Alexisonfire very apparent over the course of his solo career, you get the feeling that this guy will not be signing on at the dole queue anytime soon. Bigger things are surely to come for this artist if there is any justice in today’s music industry. Performing as part of the Brighton Great Escape Festival encouraging access to emerging new music, Dallas epitomises everything that is great about new artists with simple timeless material. Give the man a guitar and he’ll be set!

http://www.myspace.com/dallasgreen

http://www.bedlamsociety.com

Komedia
http://www.komedia.co.uk/

44-47 Gardner St
Brighton
BN1 1UN

01273 647100
01273 647 100

Words: Hayley