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The Brits prove sharp in Chi-town |
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Written by ARIELA COLES / Photos by LYLE A. WAISMAN
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Thursday, 02 November 2006 |
James Blunt fans streamed into the Aragon Theater in Uptown Chicago on Monday night ready to see the shaggy-haired Brit belt out his signature song, “You’re Beautiful.” The evening started off with a little known British punk rock band, Starsailor, as the opening act. As the crowds packed into the theater, they were greeted with a vibrant new sound.
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James Blunt with Starsailor
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 Entertainment
Art
Aragon Ballroom
Chicago, Ill.
October 23, 2006
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Starsailor’s music has the edge of fellow British band Gomez combined with an Oasis feel. The band gave a stellar performance; with a series of great songs, they energized the crowd as everyone waited for the melancholy James Blunt to hit the stage.
The tables were turned as Blunt appeared on stage. His show was filled with an incredible set of music interspersed with subtle political undertones. Clips of Al Gore’s documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” and scenes from Blunt’s visit to Kosovo a few weeks prior added a certain heaviness to the performance that was all too fitting.
Knowing Blunt for his over-played song, I was surprised, surprised I enjoyed the other songs and impressed at how good they actually were. The sadly themed lyrics and tearful tones, along with an excellent piano solo, made “Goodbye My Lover” the most poignant part of the evening.
The starry sky of the Aragon was the perfect backdrop to Blunt’s impressive performance. As the concert wrapped the crowd was slightly disheartened that the song most came to hear had not been performed, but Blunt did not disappoint; he returned to the stage with a powerful three song encore, ending with “You’re Beautiful.”
Blunt and Starsailor, with their unique styles and heart wrenching music, gave Chicagoans an excellent show. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
