Kicking off leg 2 of their US tour, Mike Kinsella hosted the House of Blues Voodoo Room to a warm up-close night of indie-emo bliss. Better known under the monicker Owen, and more famously as the lead singer of the emo band, American Football, Kinsella performed a solo show amidst the release of his latest album, “The Falls of Sioux.” The evening of music was intimate and personable throughout, despite the theme of a guitar that constantly had to be tuned. 

Anna Arboles opened the night of music first. After greeting the crowd by wishing them a happy Wednesday, they performed a stripped-down set, only accompanied by a guitar and amp. They had a songwriting style that felt like they were only playing for a few people instead of the number of attendees inside the Voodoo Room. Short instrumental breaks would play during their songs, creating a minimal melancholy atmosphere, and maintaining an emotional setting for the show. With no merchandise to sell after their set, and under a thousand streams for their songs on Spotify, Arboles is someone who should be heard by more people. 

At around 9 pm, Kinsella walked on stage to a roaring applause from the crowd. Sat on a chair, and a drink beside him, he began tuning his guitar, mentioning it was the first show he’d played with the guitar. This became a constant throughout the show, but if not for Kinsella’s charismatic personality, could’ve easily become an embarrassing and silent set. He’d ask early on in the set, “You guys wanna talk about anything?” to where it became more of a conversation with songs thrown in than a concert someone might be used to. 

For all the stop-starts in songs and awkward silences, Kinsella’s performance provided for a sincere and genuine connection with the audience. At one point, a woman front row asked if his songs were of literal connection, or of symbolism to which Kinsella had a transparent “I don’t know” answer. He performed the first song on his new album, entitled “A Reckoning.” The song echoed with tubular bells that Kinsella mentioned were inspired by old spaghetti western films. 

With all the tuning in between each song, one heckler from the audience jokingly shouted and asked if Kinsella was left-handed, as he was playing guitar right-handed. This got a laugh out of him and was the mood for the entire show. Somber songs, but with a light-hearted tone between artist and fan. As the set came to a close, there was a relaxed feeling all around the small venue. The environment was one that’s recommended to anyone wanting a relaxing time at a show. An Owen show will do you just good.

Photos by Roman Aguilar