HALF MOON RUN + MARGARET GLASPY – CHALK, BRIGHTON 12.9.23
Half Moon Run formed in Montreal, Canada and received widespread critical acclaim for their 2012 debut album ‘Dark Eyes’. Their strikingly eclectic sound blends elements of indie, folk and rock with rich harmonies and layered percussion. Founders Devon Portielje, Conner Molander and Dylan Phillips were supplemented by a fourth member, Isaac Symonds, but have reverted to the core trio since his departure in 2020. All the players sing and multi-task, with frequent changes of instrument during live performances. Their fourth album, ‘Salt’, was released on 2nd June 2023.
Tonight’s sold out show at Chalk, promoted by Form, was originally booked for last September but had to be postponed due to illness. The rescheduled date is now the first stop on the UK and European section of an extensive tour that takes in America and Canada later in the autumn.
Support tonight comes from Margaret Glaspy, an American singer-songwriter born in California and now based in New York. Having debuted with 2016’s ‘Emotions And Math’, she has recently released her third album ‘Echo The Diamond’ on 18th August 2023. I’ve seen some excellent clips online of Margaret with a band, but tonight she’s performing solo with a black Telecaster electric guitar. I can quite understand that the economics of touring might be challenging during these straitened times. The songs are easily strong enough to work in any format though, and I’m looking forward to hearing them live.
The lyrics tend to focus on the trickier aspects of relationships, with plenty of raw emotion in the delivery. The guitar accompaniment is effective, varying from sparse strums to nice picked arpeggios through the chord sequences. ‘Act Natural’ has a particularly catchy riff with a repeated bend on the lower strings. The singer is relaxed and comfortable enough to intersperse some “How you doing Brighton?” chat into the number, which concludes with a strong, sustained vocal note. ‘Irish Goodbye’ has a lovely middle section of breathy “oohs” over a damped strum, and the choppy rhythm of ‘Female Brain’ ushers in some sharp and cutting lines: “Don’t be a dick, I’m out here dodging stones and sticks.”
As well as material from the new collection, we get a selection from the earlier albums. The title track of the debut has an impressive lyric too: “Counting all the days till you’re back, shivering in an ice-cold bath of emotions and math.” By ‘You and I’, Margaret is really getting into the performance, swishing her bobbed hair to the playout chords, and ‘Heartbreak’, from the second album, has a soulful vocal hitting some big and powerful notes.
Back to the newer material, ‘My Eyes’ has a supremely catchy riff with a descending pattern of bass notes over jangling arpeggios. It sounds like it might be a distant relative of ‘Dear Prudence’. There are some interesting chord choices too. Margaret reprises the chorus, having stopped to encourage the audience to join in with a bit of call-and-response. There’s an enthusiastic and surprisingly tuneful take-up by the crowd, and the singer looks like she’s really enjoying herself. The final song of this excellent set is ‘Get Back’, with another impressively long sustained vocal note underpinned by stabbing chords. The conclusion draws a well-deserved cheer and warm applause.
Margaret Glaspy setlist:
‘I Didn’t Think So’ (from ‘Echo The Diamond’ 2023)
‘Act Natural’ (from ‘Echo The Diamond’ 2023)
‘Irish Goodbye’ (from ‘Echo The Diamond’ 2023)
‘Female Brain’ (from ‘Echo The Diamond’ 2023)
‘Emotions And Math’ (from ‘Emotions And Math’ 2016)
‘Somebody To Anybody’ (from ‘Emotions And Math’ 2016)
‘You And I’ (from ‘Emotions And Math’ 2016)
‘Heartbreak’ (from ‘Devotion’ 2020)
‘Memories’ (from ‘Echo The Diamond’ 2023)
‘My Eyes’ (from ‘Echo The Diamond’ 2023)
‘Get Back’ (from ‘Echo The Diamond’ 2023)
The room has become very full, and there’s a buzz of anticipation in advance of the headliners’ arrival, not least from a Canadian friend I’ve randomly met down at the front. The stylish but understated stage set has a screen of white oblong panels giving a retro feel somewhere between art deco and 1960s op-art. There’s an extensive array of guitars standing ready either side of the stage, with a tom drum on a stand at Devon’s position house left, and a stack of keyboards for Conner, house right. Dylan has a keyboard set up where the rack toms would usually be on the drum kit, and there’s another side on, next to the hi-hat.
Greeted by a rousing cheer from the crowd, Half Moon Run take the stage and launch into ‘You Can Let Go’, from the new album. Devon jangles the urgent riff on a Jazzmaster-style guitar whilst delivering the rapid-fire vocal. He is tall and slim, with floppy hair and a rakish ‘tash, and occasionally flashes a cheeky smile, to the delight of those around me. Conner starts on keyboards, and seems to have used British weather stereotypes as the basis for his packing, rather than the actual forecast. His heavy-looking shirt is topped off with a stockman’s hat. Dylan, tapping an intricate pattern on the drum rims, looks more comfortably attired in a short-sleeved shirt. The lush harmonies kick in on the chorus, and the song’s vibey conclusion elicits some drawn-out and excitedly enthusiastic appreciation from the audience.
The piano-led ‘Hotel In Memphis’ brings the first of many in-song instrument changes, assisted by a well-practised stage tech whom I suspect will need to remain very focussed for the next hour or so. For the reflective ‘Everyone’s Moving Out East’, both of the standing players produce shimmers of acoustic guitar, and the crowd and I are rather impressed by Devon’s breaks of nonchalant whistling, not something I’d fancy trying in a live situation.
The super-fast plucking on ‘Narrow Margins’, from the second album, contrasts with the languid dreaminess of the piece. Conner is grooving on an electric bass, and those three-part harmonies are reminiscent of Crosby Stills and Nash. Things get more lively and angular for ‘9beat’, whose complicated rhythm is embellished by Devon and Conner taking turns to clatter the rims of the tom-on-a-stand. As the song progresses, there’s a very effective section of dual keyboards from Conner and Dylan. The nature of drumming is that each limb needs to act independently, but playing keyboard whilst doing so seems to be increasing the level of difficulty somewhat.
‘Razorblade’ is an excellent song that moves through a number of phases, initially with twin acoustic guitars. The band drops out for the first half of the chorus, whose pained vocal has a classic rock feel, before returning with a satisfying build. Devon plays a beautiful progression on acoustic, whilst Conner grabs an electric to unleash a huge, reverb-drenched, wailing solo over a pomp backing of pushes and tumbling drums. This somehow morphs into floaty pop with “she na na na” vocals, before a closing section of boogie piano. I feel like I’ve been on a journey, listening to that one song.
Talking of journeys, Conner confides to the crowd that they nearly didn’t make it. Having missed their planned flight, they had to go home and wait a day for the next available one. They’re glad to be here now though, and play ‘Salt’, the title track of the current album. It has a smooth and dreamy keyboard wash under an utterly delightful synth motif that sounds a bit like a melodica. The chunky chords of ‘Gigafire’ segue into the folkier ‘New Truth’, with its insistent vocal chant. There’s an enthusiastic crowd singalong for ‘Call Me In The Afternoon’, from the debut album, and Devon’s clattering the rims of his tom drum again. The people around me are getting very excited indeed.
Conner is back on the mic, confessing that he’s rather hot in his choice of attire. Devon’s suggestion that he take it off is eagerly embraced by the crowd, if not the wearer. ‘Grow Into Love’ has a wonderfully melodic intro, and there’s a huge cheer for Conner’s harmonica solo.
After a quick change of some in-ear monitor batteries, the hard-working stage tech brings on an eight-string uke for ‘Alco’, then a condenser microphone in a shock mount cradle, which the band all gather round for ‘Devil May Care’, the three-part harmonies accompanied by some bluegrass-style picking. The languid ‘Unofferable’ is bolstered by heavy hits on the floor tom, and there’s more harmonica and another mighty solo of echoing lead guitar. ‘Goodbye Cali’ has a classic lead motif over jangling acoustic and a stomping beat. An exaggerated stop in the bouncy vocal line is accentuated by a slow plectrum slide down the strings. There’s an ascending progression that is utterly mesmeric, and the sonic dreamscape culminates in a marvellous keyboard dual between Conner and drummer Dylan, whilst Devon layers up the percussion with a maraca and a stick. I’m surrounded by already passionate devotees, but I think this band has now converted me to their cause.
The brisk strumming and harmonies of ‘I Can’t Figure Out What’s Going On’ lead to another dip into the debut album with ‘She Wants To Know’, the crowd vociferously chanting along with the chorus. The musicians leave the stage, and the ecstatic onlookers are unequivocal in their calls for an encore.
After the briefest of breaks, the band is back, and we get three further numbers, starting with the poppy groove and nimble riffing of ‘Favourite Boy’, and concluding with ‘Fire Escape’ and the magnificent ‘Full Circle’ from the 2012 debut ‘Dark Eyes’. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable evening out for all concerned, and the house lights come up to reveal beaming smiles all round. I’ll be looking forward to a further delve into the back catalogues of both of tonight’s acts.
Half Moon Run:
Devon Portielje – lead vocals, guitar, percussion
Conner Molander – backing vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, harmonica, percussion
Dylan Phillips – backing vocals, drums, keyboards
Half Moon Run setlist:
‘You Can Let Go’ (from ‘Salt’ 2023)
‘Hotel In Memphis’ (from ‘Salt’ 2023)
‘Everyone’s Moving Out East’ (from ‘Salt’ 2023)
‘Narrow Margins’ (from ‘Sun Leads Me On’ 2015)
‘9beat’ (from ‘Salt’ 2023)
‘Razorblade’ (from ‘A Blemish In The Great Light’ 2019)
’Salt’ (from ‘Salt’ 2023)
‘Gigafire’ (from ‘Salt’ 2023) segue into…
‘New Truth’ (from ‘A Blemish In The Great Light’ 2019)
‘Call Me In The Afternoon’ (from ‘Dark Eyes’ 2012)
‘Grow Into Love’ (from ‘Seasons Of Change’ EP 2020)
‘Alco’ (from ‘Salt’ 2023)
‘Devil May Care’ (from ‘Sun Leads Me On’ 2015)
‘Unofferable’ (from ‘Dark Eyes’ 2012)
‘Goodbye Cali’ (from ‘Salt’ 2023)
‘I Can’t Figure Out What’s Going On’ (from ‘Sun Leads Me On’ 2015)
She Wants To Know’ (from ‘Dark Eyes’ 2012)
(encore)
‘Favourite Boy’ (from ‘A Blemish In The Great Light’ 2019)
‘Fire Escape’ (from ’Dark Eyes’ 2012)
‘Full Circle’ (from ‘Dark Eyes’ 2012)
