A&E
Wilsen fails to connect with audience at first CAB Acoustic Coffee House this fall
By Dylan Horgan ’17
September 10, 2015
Last Thursday night was the latest addition of CAB’s Acoustic Coffeehouse concert series. Having never been to one before, I decided to check it out.
The night’s performers were Wilsen and opener Savannah King. While it was clear that all musicians involved were talented, the concert was admittedly a disappointment. I certainly don’t want to blame it on CAB, who did a good job organizing the event, nor do I think it should be entirely chalked up to a lame crowd.
Regardless, there was lack of engagement between audience and artist throughout, a failure reflected in the large portion of the crowd that before the night’s conclusion.
Savannah King is a talented, albeit fairly conventional, indie folk singer. However, she has two traits that make her exceptional: A warm, likable personality and (cliche-alert!) an angelic voice. In some ways, her immaculate vocals can work against her in a genre that often prizes a world-weary, gritty approach. She played a mix of covers and original material, seemingly hunting for a connection with the audience.
The lethargic atmosphere that plagued the entire concert was present from the beginning, with even King commenting on how the audience was mostly just staring at her. I actually think that conjures a more positive image than the reality. There were a fair amount of people simply talking to their friends and getting up for coffee instead of paying the attention that King warranted.
Thankfully, however, most people stuck around until the end of King’s set, waiting to check out the night’s headliner: Wilsen. Hailing from New York City (though with an obviously British singer,) Wilsen play a dreamy form of pop music with a melancholic, folky sensibility. They came out playing two of their best songs, and for a brief moment the audience’s mood shifted positively. The fear inherently possessed by all concertgoers (“Oh no, these people better be good or else I’m wasting my night!”) was temporarily assuaged as people settled in for entertainment.
Unfortunately this excitement didn’t last, as it became apparent that the crowd needed Red Bull, yet received Ambien. I enjoy Wilsen’s music, but they’re not the ideal band to rejuvenate a fatigued crowd.
Granted, one attending the Acoustic Coffeehouse concert shouldn’t expect Danny Brown to come out and tear the place up. It’s fair to say that people attend concerts to have fun however, and that’s not what I witnessed Thursday night.
Despite having several great tracks, Wilsen seemingly writes the same song over and over again. Take sad and soulful, yet monotonous, vocals. Add a wail of echoey guitar. Repeat. One could watch half the audience slowly grasp the formula then promptly bail, leaving a considerable yet nonetheless depressingly diminutive number to stay and soak up more of that signature sound.
I genuinely don’t know how most of these concerts end, but I doubt most artists have to continually make jokes about putting the audience to sleep.