Hometown Experimentalism In The Rain: Ben LaMar Gay at the Salt Shed

Article by Cale Easter // Photo by Nathan Hogg

As rain fell on the moderate crowd gathered an hour-and-change before Big Thief, Ben LaMar Gay emerged from stage left, accompanied by Matthew Davis on tuba and vocals, Edinho Geber on guitar, and Tommaso Moretti on drums. Gay, a Chicago South Side native, has opened for Big Thief on the first half of their Somersault Slide 260 Tour. Gay released his debut album, Downtown Castles Can Never Block The Sun, in 2017- a collection of his ‘greatest hits’ from the last seven years of recording. In the nine years since, he has released ten studio and live albums. His latest, Yowzers, was released in June 2025 after a year-long stint as a composer-in-residence at France’s National Theater, where he wrote original music for Dorothee Munyaneza’s “Inconditionelles.”

Gay’s set did not have the indie-folk stylings of Big Thief, but was not lacking in the heart that draws so many to Lenker’s songwriting. Although Gay’s avant-garde lyrics are the centerpiece of the music, it would be remiss not to mention the importance of Moretti’s drumming for the cohesion of their songs. The quartet endlessly played with rhythm, changing the tempo and feel of the music multiple times per song. While not every change worked in their favor, when it did, the quartet hit a pocket so deep that no one in the crowd could stand still.

During the song “I am (bells)”, they transitioned from sweeping vocal harmonies to a melody played entirely on handbells by three of the four members. The vocals and handbells continued to alternate until Moretti’s drums came firing in, fitting in behind the chorus of bells. The drums were met with cheers from the crowd, all taken for a ride by the mesmerizing, experimental set. The call-and-response of the vocals continued until Matthew Davis jumped into the mix on his tuba.

The highlight of the set was the emotion that Ben LaMar Gay brought to every measure he played. In every second of the performance, you could see that there was nowhere Gay would rather be than on stage, especially one that was in his hometown. This energy was infectious, converting more non-believers with every passing measure. Whether through his synth, his trumpet, or his vocals, he opened the crowd’s eyes to what can be achieved with experimental music.