Bahamas w/ The Weather Station
Neptune Theatre, Seattle, WA
02.27.18

Afie Jurvanen is, for all intents and purposes: Bahamas, a Canadian musician from Toronto. So much so, Bahamas’ third album was aptly titled, “Bahamas is Afie.” Headlining his first tour for his fourth album, Earthtones, Jurvanen performed a sold-out show at Seattle’s Neptune Theatre. For this tour, Jurvanen added a full backing band to work his way through the intricacies of the new material.

Opening for Bahamas was fellow Toronto band The Weather Station, a group Jurvanen has collaborated with in the past. Fronted by Tamara Lindeman, the band blended intimate folk with lyrics that conveyed deep emotion and a yearning and necessity for something more. Lindeman’s voice embodied an angelic quality that accompanied the other instruments as one itself.

When it was time for Bahamas to take the stage, the lights dimmed and the crowd surged slightly forward only to be interrupted by an announcement from Jurvanen addressing the crowd, yet out of sight. He asked how everyone was doing, if they were excited and gave a rundown of what to expect. With that, Bahamas took to the stage.

Surrounded by a beautiful array of lighting that amplified the neutral tones each band member wore, Jurvanen eased into “So Free” from the new album. It’s an intimate look into his personal life of lost love, which evolves into a grand reflection on the perspective of white privilege and class warfare. Bahamas’ lyrics are poignant; they resonated and affected the audience, creating a relatable experience with Jurvanen’s narrative.

With his signature pink Stratocaster, Jurvanen and his band played through new and old. When it came time to perform “Lost in the Light,” from the second album Barchords, the crowd sang in unison, engaging as one. Once finished, he jokingly mused about writing the song in a minor key and proceeded to perform it once again, casually showcasing his prowess on the guitar.

When the set finished, Jurvanen went on to explain that an encore would happen. However, there was a process where they would have to leave the stage and come back. And that’s exactly what they did, performing two more songs for an already adoring crowd. Bahamas continue their tour both through Canada and the United States till the middle of May.

Review and photos by Matthew B. Thompson

Bahamas


The Weather Station