Image by Michael Boyd
The Swell Season's true romance charms a Chicago audience
June 15, 2008, at the Chicago Theatre
By Nona Willis Aronowitz
Published: June 17th, 2008 | 12:16pm
In an instant, I could tell that the flow of Once fans entering the Chicago Theatre on June 15 had come to watch a love story in action just as much as to hear the music. The premise of the Swell Season always takes some explaining. It is originally the name of the album that Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova produced together before they starred in Once, a low-budget musical love story following the couple through their romance and creative vision. Now it’s the entity that is Hansard, the 38-year-old guitarist from the Irish band the Frames, and Irglova, 20, a classically trained pianist and vocalist from the Czech Republic. They are real-life lovers and, thanks to their recent Academy Award and slew of sold-out shows, real-deal stars.
Their sweet fairy tale is indeed the force behind the Swell Season’s velvety musical arrangements and Hansard’s passionate belt-outs, backed up by the Frames’ violinist, bassist, and guitarist. Their story is rags-to-riches through and through; after every song, Hansard sputtered and giggled with the overwhelmed quiver of a man truly floored by his overnight fame. He explained to us: “This concert is a lovely thread to everything that’s happened to us in Chicago … we’ve always felt welcome here.” He takes us through the band’s humble nights playing at the Hideout, at Schubas, then at the Metro, then finally ending up here tonight at the lush Chicago Theatre. The affection is reciprocated when the singer admits he has no family in the city, and a husky voice, as if on cue, shouts, “We’re your family!”
Despite the perplexing age difference, the tenderness between the pair was palpable — at one point, Hansard dropped his guitar pick in excitement, and Irglova lovingly, serenely placed it back in his hand. The moment seemed to mimic their dynamic in general, of Irglova's cool-headed grace balancing out Hansard's endearing, borderline-disorienting rambles. Even I, usually a skeptic, was immersed by the spectacle for a while in my own little glow of romantic energy. “Falling Slowly” and “When Your Mind’s Made Up,” two of the film’s staples, were catchy, dreamy, and dynamic. And Hansard definitely held his own — his gorgeous cover of Van Morrison’s “Astral Weeks” showed off his ability to galvanize any folky classic to a thrilling crescendo.
The show goes on too long — clocking in at almost two hours — and the spell is nearly broken. It starts to feel as if the band, Hansard in particular, is in its own world. Even some of the most ardent fans had one ass cheek on the seat ready to go. Still, as the weary audience filtered out after the show, I could tell they were invigorated by the possibility of unlikely, wide-eyed love.
Issue #35
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