Christopher Owens, the former head of a perennial favorite band here at FPT, Girls, stepped away from the group in July of 2012. At that time, he promised his listeners two things: that he would continue making music, and that he would never be in a band again.
On Tuesday, January 15, 2013, a new chapter in his life and career began, as he began a tour in Chicago to support his first solo album, Lysandre, released that day via Fat Possum/Turnstile (read my review of the album, here). The album serves as a story, Owens' story, of his rise to fame from a troublesome childhood, to travelling to France with his band Girls, as well as a story of boy-meets-girl(-named-Lysandre).


It takes a lot of guts to do that and say these things, but it is clearly the right thing to do. To leave out specific parts of that album's music would have been like creating a landscape painting without the color blue; elements would have been left out. It's a relief to see/hear a musician live that actually cares about the music being played. Will the sets be the same throughout the tour? Sure. But it's important to remember that this is exactly what Christopher Owens wants.
It goes without saying that he played Lysandre straight through. Owens talked very little in between each song, letting the music speak for him (note: I had never seen Girls before their disbandment, but Owens does not strike me as a "gabber" on stage); there was the occasional sign of gratitude for those of us who came out.

The encore, as mentioned, comprised of covers. As each song began, you could feel the audience smile collectively (some even chuckled) as their familiarity with the music hit them.
Cat Stevens' "Wild World", Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer" and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" by Bob Dylan were instant hits with the crowd, as the primarily stagnant audience began to sing along. Check out the classic "Let It Be Me" below, shot live from the event.
Overall, the show was a great success. I'm sure the audiences will become a little more welcoming as the tour rolls along and the general listener will be able to become more familiar with Lysandre as an album, and the notion that Owens is ready to leave Girls' music behind... at least for now.
To see more photos from the show check out the Flickr Photoset here
(all photography by Kellen Nordstrom)
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