These days touring isn’t necessarily the norm, it’s a privilege. For Hiss Golden Messenger on the second night of their 2022 tour in Atlanta at Terminal West, it was obvious how the band and crowd felt about being there. Don’t ever take the ability to see musicians play, live and in person for granted.
Over 10 albums in, M.C. Taylor’s project Hiss Golden Messenger has earned accolade after accolade including the 2021 album Quietly Blowing It and 2019’s Grammy nominated album Terms of Surrender. The Durham, North Carolina artist has been releasing albums on North Carolina’s own famed indie label Merge Records since 2014. During this time, Taylor has become known as one of the great songwriters and Americana artists of the last 15 years.
But here in Atlanta, only the second show of the tour, this one was about the band much more than it was just about Taylor. Joined by his all-star cast of Alex Bingham on bass, Chris Boerner on guitar, Sam Fribush on organ/keys, and Nicholas Falk on drums, the group was feeling pretty spry just to be playing a show, while being on the front end of a two month tour around the US. It feels pretty damn good to play, and the Atlanta crowd sure was ready for all of it at Terminal West.
Playing a career spanning set, including 3 songs off latest album Quietly Blowing It, and even a Merle Haggard cover, “Mama Tried”, plus fan favorites like “I Need a Teacher” and “Sanctuary”, the band hit their groove throughout the set. Despite M.C. Taylor being the lead, the night felt as if the band instead fed off Sam Fribush’s organ, leaving Boerner to jump in with the cosmic jams that soared through the crowd’s soul. The band let the tunes take them, scooping up the audience right along side them. Honestly, if you didn’t spot that one setlist sheet laying on the T-West stage, you’d think there wasn’t one, just a band having a hell of a good time and playing what they felt.
It was one hell of a set by Hiss Golden Messenger with a band on top of their game. Don’t miss them on their current US tour, dates below.
Kicking off the show was another North Carolina artist, Alexa Rose out of Asheville. Releasing her second album Headwaters in 2021, the upcoming songwriter showed off her emotional and vulnerable side to the attentive audience with just her guitar, words, and vocals. She didn’t need anything else to capture the Atlanta crowd, a stunning opening set that warmed the crowd before the beloved headliner took the stage. You don’t want to miss Alexa Rose these next two months with Hiss Golden Messenger. Get there on time and early.
Check out photos below from the Hiss Golden Messenger show with Alexa Rose at Terminal West in Atlanta, GA on Friday, February 4th, all photos by Mike Gerry:
ALEXA ROSE
HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER
HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER ONLINE:
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UPCOMING HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER TOUR DATES
February
06 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s
09 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
10 – Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips
11 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
12 – Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
14 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
16 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up
18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
19 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
23 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
24 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
25 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
26 – Vancouver, BC @ Imperial Vancouver
March
01 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
02 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Commonwealth Room
04 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
05 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
07 – Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
08 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
09 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
10 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
11 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
12 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
