Concert Review: Amber Run Make MHOW Say Amen
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As one woman looked around in awe, as if someone had discovered her secret treasure, she asked her friend, “Are Amber Run really famous?” The friend replied, “They need to be!” With a packed house, this band felt like Radiohead and Mumford & Sons decided to make a holy, sonic union. At MHOW, they tied in a level of mysticism to their folkish rock that felt perfect considering that their music sings to our self-destructive tendencies.
People think self-destruction is always dramatic, but it comes in degrees of self-loathing. The minute you put pressure on your heart, rather than attempt to protect and prosper it, you are hurting yourself. Tracks like, “I Found You,” “Good Morning,” and “Heaven Is A Place” played to the times when you can’t seem to give yourself a break. Rather than making amends with your lover, your friend, or even yourself, and accepting that you are not perfect, you go in auto-destruct mode. Lead singer Joshua Keogh has such a clear voice that makes you aware of your devastation. This was especially apparent when he began singing “Amen,” and left a few people blubbering in tears as if they had just seen the ending to Forest Gump.
There are two things that I like about Joshua Keogh: beyond his voice. The first is that he can summon such emotional reactions from the crowd. Yes, Amber Run’s music is beautifully grim, and they understand how massively appealing a sad song, especially in a world that has never fully figured out what it means to be “alive” and “human.” As a vocalist, he goes straight for the raw pangs of tearfulness, but, as a presence, he was as gleeful as a birthday party. He was so genuinely appreciative and happy to see the audience, especially because so many had traveled from Scotland, Ireland, and their homeland, the UK, to see them. Humility and joy can attract a crowd as much as a sad song, and Amber Run has both.
Amber Run is not only good but different. While depression and self-hate are becoming more common topics in music/ culture, humanity has the tendency to graze problems without getting to their depth; let alone their solutions. For Amber Run, it is not just loving yourself that is hard, but also loving someone that does not love their self. Trust me! That is exhausting! With raucous guitar/bass melodies, bashing drums and virtuous, Amber Run taught us an enlightening lesson on spiritual exhaustion; your body drains when your mind is a hurricane of thoughts. For More Information On Amber Run Click Here.
