The Long Way Down Tour feat. Tom Odell – REVIEW

We were in attendance at the Chicago date of Tom Odell’s “The Long Way Down Tour” at Schubas Tavern. You can check out our review of the tour, after the break.

Since this was the first time either of the artists on the tour, Tom Odell and The Colourist, have ever played Chicago, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When I arrived at the Schubas Tavern a littler before doors, I was surprised to see at least 15 people hanging out and waiting for the show to start. The venue had a low key feeling, with everyone having a drink and talking amongst themselves. Once everything was about to begin, I looked behind me and noticed a good crowd had formed. I knew we were in for a treat.

Up first was Southern California indie-pop quartet, The Colourist. The band was set up on the floor in front of the stage with everyone crowded around them. It gave the show a ‘high school, local bands in the basement’ feeling. The lead singer made a comment about how it was the most intimate show they had ever played. They started off with “Put The Fire Out,” followed by “What Can I Say,” and “Wishing Wells.” The harmonies from the lead singer and drummer had a smoothness that I really enjoyed. All of their songs were upbeat and made you want to dance around. They played a few more songs and ended their set with a one they hadn’t expected to play. They mentioned having an album coming out soon.

Chichester native, Tom Odell, was up next. The crowd roared with applause and yelling when he came out. He started his set off with “Grow Old With Me” and “Can’t Pretend. His more upbeat song “Hold Me” had you dancing in place, while his slower songs, such as “Sense,” made you sway from side to side in a dreamlike trance. He connected with the crowd in-between songs by chatting about the city, weather, and mentioned a game (most likely the Bulls-Nets since they had played that night). The song I was looking forward to the most was “Another Love.” It was the first song that I had heard from him and it’s what drew me in to explore more. I was blown away by Odell’s whole set, from the way he pounded the piano keys, to the way he belted out notes like his life depended on it. You could feel the passion and emotion radiating from the stage. He came back out to play one more song after a few ‘Encores!’ were thrown around. I was lucky enough to meet Tom after the show. We chatted for a few minutes and he told me they would be returning sometime hopefully in August or September. I would definitely recommend checking him out when he returns. You can order his EP “Songs From Another Love” on iTunes right now and get his new one “Long Way Down,” on June 24.

Information about the review…
Tour: The Long Way Down Tour
Bands: Tom Odell, The Colourist
Reviewer: Courtney Waldridge
Date: May 4, 2013
Venue: Schubas Tavern

Have you gone out to any dates of “The Long Way Down Tour”? Do you like Tom Odell or The Colourist? Did you like our review? Let us know in the comments below!