All Eyes on Andy
Article by Aisling Heaphy, cover photo by Carly Spagnuolo
On Monday, September 9, Andy Shauf proved that all it takes to put on an incredible show is an acoustic guitar, a chair, and what appeared to be a mug full of tea. Kicking off his Fall 2024 solo tour, the Canadian singer-songwriter brought his inimitable sound to a sold-out crowd at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
Opening for Shauf was instrumental artist Hayden Pedigo. Hailing from Amarillo, Texas, Pedigo mesmerized the crowd with two unreleased songs as well as one song from his sixth studio album released in 2023, The Happiest Times I ever Ignored, and another from 2021’s Letting Go. Perhaps the best way to characterize Pedigo would be as a guitar wizard. With no songs in standard tuning, his unique and intricate melodies transport listeners to an entirely different plane. Introducing his song “Rained Like Hell,” he stated that he wrote the song for a non-existent apocalyptic western movie. Let’s hope there’s never a zombie apocalypse in Texas, but if there is, this song, with its thrilling crescendos and drawn-out pauses, would truly make a perfect backing track. If “Rained Like Hell” was meant for an apocalypse, Pedigo’s final song of the evening, “Elsewhere,” could accompany a coming-of-age romance movie which was the perfect, cheerful note to leave off on. “Hope y’all dig it” he quipped between each song, and the audience did, indeed, dig it.
Pedigo’s expert fingerpicking combined with the atmosphere at the Old Town School of Folk Music to set the perfect stage for Shauf. The Old Town School’s Maurer Concert Hall has 430 seats, none of which are over 45 feet away from the stage, creating an incredibly intimate atmosphere. Audience members were asked to turn their phones off, meaning all eyes were on Shauf rather than a sea of phones.
Freshly unplugged, the audience gathered around for story time, soothed by the warm fire that is Shauf’s voice. Shauf opened his set with “Wasted on You,” the first song from his eighth album, Norm, which was released in February of 2023. The majority of Shauf’s set came from Norm and 2020’s Neon Skyline, both of which are intricate concept albums— the former is largely told from the perspective of God, while the latter follows one man’s night in a bar as he encounters an ex-lover. This is a common theme in the Andy Shauf musical universe where each album is its own little world complete with characters and storylines.
For an hour and some change, the crowd was welcomed into this world. It’s a world occupied by Judy, Jacob, Rose, Norm, Charlie, Jeremy, and even Satan. A world in which doors are left unlocked, curiosity leads to gardening accidents, items are misplaced, jokes rarely land, and cigarettes are frequently smoked. It’s a world that’s endearingly human and profoundly relatable— fraught with quiet devastation, overthinking, and the anxieties of everyday life, yet filled with moments of levity. Enveloped into this universe, the audience was silent in the best way possible, reserving shrieks of excitement for fan favorites including “You’re Out Wasting” and “Neon Skyline.” Meanwhile, the storylines in “Halloween Store” and “Jacob Rose” prompted giggles amongst the audience members.
Shauf also kept the crowd engaged with a couple of impromptu Q&A sessions. Answering questions that were hurled at him from an eager audience, he revealed that his last name is pronounced like “shoff” (and his first name is pronounced Andy), he began playing the guitar in the 9th grade, his favorite region of Canada is British Columbia, and that he’s doing okay. “Sometimes it doesn’t go so well,” he said, referring to his concerts, but it’s hard to believe that such a naturally talented and compelling performer could ever put on a bad show.
Shauf wrapped up the night with the final track off of Neon Skyline, “Changer;” however, the audience wasn’t ready to be yanked out of his vibrant musical world just yet and enthusiastically demanded an encore. Shauf re-emerged, and after asking for audience suggestions to which he was met with screams of various song names, decided to play “Jeremy’s Wedding.”
Shauf’s voice is something that must be experienced in person. It is smooth like honey— or perhaps more aptly maple syrup given his Canadian origins— and paired with his vivid storytelling and excellent guitar playing, makes for a concert experience like no other. Catch him as he continues his solo tour throughout Canada and North America and find out what a guy, his guitar, and some tea are capable of.