City and Colour with opener Sleepy Sun at the House of Blues in Cleveland, OH on November 7th, 2013.

Photography and commentary by Lena Diamond Photography

Psychedelic band Sleepy Sun started the evening with a roar of guitar riffs and a burst of energy that City and Colour fans were not expecting. The atmosphere they portrayed definitely made one feel as though they are in the 70’s music scene. Sleepy Sun incorporated an assortment of instruments such as maracas and an additional snare drum on stage. This mixed with Jack Allen’s hypnotic drawn out vocals, the crowd was clearly captivated. The band seemed extremely focused on every aspect of their performance. Sleepy Sun was very engaged with the music they were creating, letting their unique vibe take over the venue. As an opening band, they set the energy up high and really brought down the house.
Their newest EP is available here at www.sleepysun.net

City and Colour finally took the stage after hearing a continuous loop of their  introductory music to build up the anticipation. As soon as the stage escaped the darkness and Dallas Green was visible, the crowd erupted with applause. City and Colour went straight into their first song “Of Space and Time” which is off of their new album The Hurry and the Harm.

I was very pleased by the fact that City and Colour played a variety of songs from their albums Little Hell and Bring Me Your Love.  The audience was incredibly responsive towards songs from those albums.  I know that I had a lump in my throat when Dallas Green started singing “Silver and Gold”.  Their music triggers such an emotional response from any type of listener. People go through different experiences in their lives and I’m sure each fan has a certain memory associated with some song by them.

One can hear the emotion in Dallas Green’s voice spilling out of the monitors and  flowing throughout the room. He seems shy and polite even on that big stage in front of us. Some fans were being disruptive during City and Colour’s set and he called them out so the other fans could actually enjoy the music. He was also saying how this was a very long tour for him, this being one of the last dates on the tour. He was surprised by his parents because they showed up at the House of Blues to visit him unexpectedly. He then went on to say how most of his songs were written in his parents’ basement. It was nice to get that personal vibe from him.

Of course City and Colour had to close the show with an encore of “The Girl”. Most fans were demanding this song to be played. It was a privilege to photograph this band and capture the essence of City and Colour. Their poetic lyrics and gut wrenching emotion are a trademark of this band that cannot be ignored. I was very impressed with how clean and professional the sound and the lights were for this night’s show. It was an incredible concert experience and I highly recommend seeing them live if you ever get the opportunity.