Posted by: Madeline Wakenight

With whiskey ginger in hand and a warm breeze passing through the front deck of The Hideout, I knew this show was going to be special. I was only 16 when Overgrown Path was released and it turned out to be a seminal album in my own musical exploration.

Feeling nostalgic I walked in and about 10 minutes later Chris Cohen humbly took the stage. He played five songs from his latest album (including my favorite, “Green Eyes”) and it only went up from there. Gentle drums lulled the crowd and rolling bridges filled our ears. The most calming part, of course, was the smooth vocals from Chris that had always paired well with warm nights and lonely feelings.

The band, nor Chris talked much except for the occasional “thank you.” Considering the melancholy themes of addiction and the hidden sexuality of his father, the vulnerability was real. With that in mind, each note carried a heavyweight behind it and made me listen with intent.

More songs poured out of the retro sounding instruments and the set ended. They then returned for an encore and played “Heavy Weather Sailing” and then “Heartbeat” per an audience member request. A total calmness had washed over me and I felt grateful to be apart of Chris Cohens’ world, if only for an hour.

Peep for yourself his latest self-titled record, out now via Captured Tracks.