Concert Review: City and Colour return to the Music City for the first time since 2019 for a remarkable night of music and communion in The Mother Church
By: Dylan Basden
Out in support of his 2023 album, The Love Still Held Me Near, City and Colour, the solo project of Alexisonfire’s Dallas Green, continues to further deepen his ties to his fans an engrain himself in the modern folk-rock psyche. Hailing from Ontario, Canada, Dallas and his band have had a long road to get to Nashville, both physically and career-wise. Now eight albums deep into his City and Colour discography (not including five albums with Alexisonfire and another with You + Me, his collaboration with P!NK), Green is now over two decades into his musical journey and shows no signs of stopping. Headlining The Ryman for the first time since 2013, this show was a particularly special moment in that journey.
Their faces shielded by dimmed lights, Dallas Green and his backing band take the stage to much fanfare. The night began with the first song from the band’s new album, “Meant to Be,” a track with an eerily slow trotting and gentle begin that quickly expands into a near-anthemic chorus as the band effortlessly grows with intricate, new instrumentation. Green’s vocals are truly incredible, he delivers songs with so much warmth and life, as if he was an old friend giving you words of encouragement. He was soft spoken, but simultaneously eager to open up, unafraid of letting out larger belts and wails, only to immediately drag you back down with his usual gentle demeanor. “Northern Wind” was a perfect example of this, and the majestic acoustics of The Ryman’s main auditorium only compounded on this.
While the opening few tracks may have drawn listeners into a false sense of calmness with their soft rock and singer/songwriter nature, City and Colour carries a sharper edge than one might expect. “Thirst,” a self-describe ‘dancing shoes’ kind of song, was an instant perk up in the setlist. Immediately the bass was felt, balancing a deep groovy feeling and a melodic rock chug with grace. The electric guitars were also felt much more prominently, landing this track much firmer into the ‘rock’ category than early songs. “Two Coins” also fit this bill, with a fuzzier low-end and ominous synths scattered in the mix. This song was swelling, slowly and surely building up to a guitar solo from Green right at the bridge, paired with a haunting organ in harmony, only to break down into an acoustic final verse.
Throughout the night Green and co. would welcome us to many more songs in this field, seemingly unable to fully forget his post-hardcore days in Alexisonfire. Fans were also treated to a cover of “Nutshell” by Alice in Chains, a band Green often credits to his musical journey. Green also included a snippet of “This Could Be Anywhere in The World” from Alexisonfire during “Comin’ Home.”
A lot of City and Colour’s fans are self-declared ‘elder emos,’ having first caught on to Dallas Green’s music during his time in the harder rock scene of the 2000s. Many of these fans have been such for years and years, with the vast majority of attendees knee deep in the culture surrounding the band. Baggy punk shirts, short roll beanies, tattoos, piercings, and a strong sense of community were very clear identifiers. I’m one to people watch and I’ll intermingle with the crowd, often learning a lot abut a band and their audience. I met a couple on their first date, another group who had been to fifteen City and Colour shows before this, and a family who brought their child for his first concert.
In short, City and Colour is a show to see live. I was genuinely amazed several times throughout the night, between Green’s vocal prowess, his and his band’s playing, and the chemistry between the two it was awe-inspiring. Whether you’re a fan of soft rock, a self-proclaimed ‘elder emo,’ or just enjoy good music, this is a must. I anticipate it will be a while before City and Colour return to Nashville if history repeats itself, so make sure you don’t miss out.
You can find City and Colour’s upcoming tour dates here. // View the full live gallery shot by Dylan here.