Dear Crowd at the Paramount Black Box Theatre:
I'm sorry if the tickets you bought mislead you into thinking you had paid to see Bon Iver. [Ed.-I think any misleading came from WERS' radio ads for the show, which played Bon Iver in the background. They changed the soundtrack to S. Carey only days before the show.] Throughout the show, I heard your continuous chatter, bouncing off each other false rumors of Justin Vernon coming out on stage that night. I know your tickets read "S. Carey (of Bon Iver)," but, girl next to me, you can't be disappointed he didn't play "Skinny Love." However, I do hope you were pleasantly surprised by the vocal, instrumental, and creative talent exhibited by Sean Carey and his band S. Carey.
From the opening tune "Move," I hope you were at least satisfied that Mikey Noyce (of Bon Iver) picked up a viola and graced the stage. It was easy to see multi-instrumental prowess when Carey alternated between acoustic guitar and piano duties, accompanied by his band on drums, upright bass, electric guitar, viola, and drums. Every supporting member also provided lush harmonies with Carey and changed their playing style based on the song. Different songs featured bowed vs. finger picked bass, brushes on the drums, or employed an ebow on guitar to create scenes that put you into the scene of All We Grow's idyllic album cover.
Crowd, I hope you enjoyed the highlight when Carey snatched up drumsticks—his Bon Iver-associated instrument—and showed the versatility of a single floor tom and crash cymbal, building up an intense five-minute crescendo on the live rendition of "Action." I also hope you appreciated the small, intimate venue and saw Carey's sincere, endearing smile every time you applauded. Most of all, I hope you recognize that Sean Carey and S. Carey are much more than just "of Bon Iver"; they are a fully fleshed out live act touring in support of a beautiful first album endeavor. Combining experience as a classical musician, working with Bon Iver, and surrounding himself with talented musicians, Sean Carey's live set may have been one of the the most engaging lullabies you'll hear. His voice put you into a soothed state, allowing you to soak up the texture of his music, but never letting you actually tire.
Sincerely,
Michael Zonenashvili
P.S: I hope you enjoyed White Hinterland, too. Casey Dienel's wispy, looped vocal harmonies, layered on top of themselves, were absolutely stunning. Her chemistry with sound manipulator Shawn Creeden allowed songs to have room for experimentation and variation. Her chanting over looped ukulele parts reminded me of a softer tune-yards, and provided a nice departure from the beat- and keyboard-driven set.
