The real Pat Lepoidevin took to the stage to much ovation, and was accompanied for much of the night by an understated drummer who added appreciated soft percussion to the tracks he was featured on. Now that the drummer has gotten his due I can focus in on Pat, the man of the hour.
With less obvious looping than the first and only other time I've seen him (my introduction to him), his vocals were even stronger and more confident, if that is even possible, and more than carried the show. The new song, Fire, played early and was a testament to the strength of the new material which bodes well for Pat, as well as for his fans. In fact other ditties off most recent Highway Houses were interspersed throughout old favourites (who am I kidding I can't even choose faves) all night. Amongst them was 97, a heart-wrenching affair that really showcases his storytelling abilities. However primarily strumming his ukelele it was his strong and, at times, strained (seemingly with emotion) singing that made this show a spectacle!
Despite the warmth it was a perfectly small venue full of perfectly adoring fans who maintained silence when necessary and hummed along when appropriate. In particular the silence was appreciated as Pat looped his voice, entirely a cappella, over and over again to build a dense, glorious melding of layers that blew us away in encore with Highway Houses. Hard to completely capture the magical feeling but if you hear his streaming cafe album or have a chance to take in the live show I guarantee satisfaction. I made that very guarantee for this show and was easily justified.
Openers: Dog Is Blue
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