Concert Review: José González Is A Soft Voice In Our Mind
World renown and widely talented, José González played to a rightfully, sold out crowd. I say rightfully because, by the first song, you witness an exceptional guitarist and sweet vocalist at play. The way he strums his guitar gives this instrument of music the respect it deserves, while his voice creates a dreamy aura of human analysis. Ultimately, you walk out of his concert feeling spiritually cleansed.
González does not hide that his music is aimed for the human soul and trying to discover how it works. His aim is successful and, in part, why amongst a crowd of hundreds, you will feel like he is personally playing for you. His lyrics, his voice, and his ability to give the guitar its own clear, whimsical voice brings a level of holistic intimacy to his show. The Beacon Theatre is a huge, ornate theater, but González manages to make each person in that audience feel like they were in small room dreaming of the world and all its offerings. I have always believed that the strongest, most heartfelt connection we can feel to music is when we are alone. It could be when we are walking to work with our headphones on or listening to our favorite song alone on the bus or even when we lie on the sofa and daydream our favorite tunes, but each person has a private, powerful bond with their music. His music is a sheer representation of that bond, which is a perfect reason for you to see him concert.
González exemplifies the inner wanderer every person has and usually brings out when they listen to sage, philosophical songs. As his music resounds, you will envision landscapes and life moments. He brings out that desire for escapism we all have as we, sometimes, wonder what it would be like to leave all behind and journey through the world by ourselves. Moreover, witnessing the moving reaction of those around you, again, proves he is worth seeing in concert. As you hear people so touched by his songs they audibly say, “Excellent!,” you smile and are happy to know you are not alone in this fantastical feeling. The imagery of his music is amplified by his backing of the instrumentalists: yMusic.
González plays the guitar in a fashion that Mozart would be proud, which is why his combination with yMusic is majestic. yMusic is a mini-orchestra that modernizes classic music by elevating it to mainstream appeal. Their talent is so pure that it leaves you open to each note they strikingly emote. Hence, they blend with González perfectly as he takes the guitar and makes it sound like the classic gem it is. He reveals why, even though it was an instrument made a long time ago, it will always be a present treasure. The way he plays, like yMusic, is both imaginative and fresh, which allows his soothing voice and enlightened lyrics to be more deeply felt. In more blatant terms, González is like Bob Dylan met Johann Bach, and they decided to mix their musical vision to hand it to him. The mix leads to stunning songs and adds to the peace they bring you.
In concert, José González is a calming, sentient experience. Not one moment in his set do you think of worries or briefly drift back to stress. Instead, you drift into tranquility and walk out with a level of peace that makes feel as if you have been meditating for the past two hours. He is just a translucent display of talent and his music humbles you with its capacity to release you from the daily negativity.
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