Chad Valley at Schubas 10/20/12
Whenever I go to a show, I try to keep an open mind for what I’m about to see and try to set my expectations aside so their art can speak for itself. Upon walking into Schubas last night, Mister Lies had already began his set. As his semi-complex rhythms pulsed and twirled, he matched the music’s intense beats with his own rhythmic skill of dancing and mixing. During all this, the crowd was beginning to build and though most were casually paying attention and checking their posture so as not to look too slouchy, some were actually being sociable and meeting people for the first time. Take Chad Valley, for example. As my friend and I stood in the back taking the whole scene in, I noticed him drinking a beer in front of me and casually talking to multiple people who came to speak with him. I really only heard snippets of the conversations, but he was genuinely engaged and humbled that people were actually kind and engaging with him. I thought about doing the same, but I decided that I’d leave him alone… besides, by this time, Mister Lies was nearly finished with his set.
With the end of Mister Lies‘ part of the evening, the night’s focus then shifted to Chad Valley. His simple set up of a small table of goodies slightly hidden from public view and two microphones with varying levels of reverb and vocal effects were the only tools he needed. He began with introductions and promptly went to work with a breathtaking track from his new LP, Young Hunger, set to be released October 30th. This was then followed by a personal favorite, ‘I Want Your Love’, which really sealed the audience’s attention and promptly made them crowd the area in front of the stage. From then on, as he weaved one song into the other, you could hear and see a genuine passion that was felt between the artist and crowd as the overwhelming majority was bouncing and grooving to every beat.
When his set finally came to a close, there was a real sense of disappointment felt by both artist and audience. Closing with yet another phenomenal track from his new record, it only heightened the anticipation I felt for the upcoming release date. When all was said and done, there wouldn’t be an encore, though I and everyone there fully anticipated one. Then again, once you’ve heard passion and perfection woven together for 40 minutes, do you really need more? I say absolutely yes. Chad Valley continues his brief American tour Oct 25th in Los Angeles before heading to Miami on October 27th. He then flies back home to the UK to begin his extensive UK tour of nearly every major city in England in November thereafter.