City & Colour @ The Palace,Melbourne (07/04/2011)

Tue 12th Apr, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Comparisons are natural, inevitable even, as a general rule. Even more so when you lend your talents simultaneously to both a genre-leading emo-core band and an increasingly popular lovestruck side project. Dallas Green may well be on acoustic, solo, City & Colour duty while he traverses these fair shores, but for many it will be a long time, if at all possible, before this man can truly step out of Alexisonfire’s considerable shadow…

That being said, for many more, the words ‘Alexis’, ‘on’ and ‘fire’ are mere sidenotes in the story of a very talented songsmith. Selling out The Palace is no mean feat for what is in essence a side project, and while there isn’t an evident split, there is a sense that the crowd tonight comprises both fully fledged City & Colour fans and a faction of intrigued AOF devotees.

Green, for the most part, seems dedicated to avoiding such pesky contrasts and utilises the tools (band) at his disposal relatively well to add some shades of colour to his otherwise monochromatic catalogue. In fact, the night’s one concession to the Toronto punks, a lifeless cover of Boiled Frogs, serves only to enhance the credibility of his work outside that band as that of a tender-hearted troubadour by sucking the vitriolic soul from the song’s original incarnation and developing the desire for more of his solo work.

The live band, comprising bassist, drummer and ne’er visible guitarist lurking in the shadows are used sparingly and with mixed effect, lending a pleasing country lilt to The Death of Me and changing the complexion of Sam Malone, but strangely not making a much needed appearance to stomp out the upbeat second half of The Girl. Even more confusing is the decision to bring out the band for (Sometimes) I Wish, which really doesn’t warrant the minimal input of the extra instruments.

Much more successful are the times when Dallas takes to the stage alone, acoustic guitar in hand to demonstrate why his striking out solo is proving to be an internationally acclaimed good decision. Bathed in white light and sporting a big collared white shirt and thick, black rimmed glasses, he resembles a cross between Elvis Costello and Fuller from Home Alone. Not as charismatic as many others prowling the stage on their ownsome, it’s nonetheless refreshing to witness this chameleon in his new environment. Relaxed and assured between songs, Green finds the time to perform the old ‘heckle the heckler’ trick and wryly invite the crowd to ’start clapping’.

California has obviously had a considerable influence on the Canadian’s recent work and with laid back charm and a sweetly soulful croon, this performance bears little resemblance to anything his anarchic alter-ego would present. A shining example is new song O’Sister, which serves as a poignant reminder that with his uniquely affecting voice and an ease around his instrument Dallas Green is as much a full band as he needs to be. His touring mates do serve a purpose, helping to break up the performance and maintain a sense of unpredictability, but the gig is undeniably more watchable without them onstage.

Not perfect then, but with impressive new material and a developing charisma, Dallas Green manages to sidestep potentially damaging comparison and show glimpses of real potential for what is becoming less a side project and more an acutely viable venture.