After being a fan for several years now, I finally got to see the amazing William Fitzsimmons this week at the intimate upstairs venue in Smith’s Olde Bar, here in Atlanta. I was pleased upon arriving to the show to find that Smith’s is now smoke free, which I have to say, made for an even better night. Immediately upon walking in to Smith’s, it was neat to see William casually having dinner in the bar; they are just like real people, aren’t they?
The show started with Slow Runner, a band I had never heard of previously, but a band that I am infinitely more interested in after seeing live. They were adorable all around (especially the bass player; what a hottie), and their sound reminded me a lot of the Postal Service. They were excellent live, and it is always great to discover a new band.
The show was somewhat of an intimate affair; I have never been to a concert where most of the people actually sat on the floor rather than standing. This started with Slow Runner, and continued on when William took the stage, and it was actually very pleasant, and made the concert even more intimate and enjoyable. One thing that was pretty annoying, was something that I notice at a lot of concerts (especially with acoustic artists); the audience was talking so much that you could hear them almost more than the band playing. Well, that stopped when William got on stage, and after he sang a few songs. He told the audience that there was a “nice bar downstairs if they wanted to have a conversation, but this was a folk show, and if you wanted to stay, then you needed to respect those that come to see that show, and well, shut the fuck up”. Um, that was fucking awesome that he did that; and the audience responded by shutting up for the most part. I love when an artist takes the time to acknowledge those that are there to enjoy them, and demands the respect they so rightfully deserve from that audience, without being a diva about it. William wanted us to enjoy his show, and it was great to have him request that the audience respect everyone that was there to hear him; and not their conversation instead.
What followed was an exquisite, beautiful musical experience. In case you didn’t know, William’s musical style is an incredibly soft, almost whisper-driven type of folk, and his tender voice, aching lyrics, and self-proclaimed “depressed songs” softly echoed with an fragility that was palpable in the bar that night. He could not have performed more beautifully, and his talent was clear from the moment he took the stage; his vocal talent and musical ability are nothing less than studio quality live. It looked effortless to watch him, as he stood there and serenaded the audience with his delicate songs.
Between songs, he quipped about his somber tone, and how he was half-heartedly sorry to bring down the mood for the night; not that any of us really minded, after all, that’s why we were there. I was surprised by how funny he was, and that beneath that delicate voice was such a jokester. Much was said about his epic beard, and he had several funny stories about people getting caught in it as they posed with him for pictures.
Overall, it was an excellent concert, and I was honestly sad when it was over (which is a rarity for me at concerts, I usually cannot wait to get the fuck out of the venue; I have an amazing track record of finding the worst part of the audience to stand near at any show). I can definitely say, it was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to; both the music and the experience were top notch. Afterwards, we stuck around and got to meet William after the show. He was super nice, and seemed genuinely happy that we enjoyed the show and his music. I thanked him for coming to Atlanta, and told him I couldn’t wait for him to return; after such an amazing show, I can’t wait to see this guy live again.
So far, 2011 has been a great year for William Fitzsimmons in my book; a fantastic new album release, Gold In The Shadow (already one of my favorites of 2011 so far), and a truly amazing concert experience. Who could ask for more? Not this guy.
(Pictures here. Sorry, you can only see them if we are friends, because pervs and jerks ruined flickr for me.)
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