Gavin Castleton: Concert Review
By Seraphina L.
A few weeks ago, a co-worker suggested I check out an artist named Gavin Castleton, and after seeing this wicked cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” I was enticed enough to dedicate one of my Friday nights to the keyboardist/singer-songwriter.
Although I had stepped into the famous Hotel Cafe a song late, it was apparent that Castleton’s talent went beyond the small stage from the back of the room. The Hotel Cafe, which is a mecca for traveling singer-songwriters, took on a different light with Castleton’s soul-dipped vocals, his full-out funk keyboard playing, and enthusiastic backing band members.
As he played “Hope Is A Drug” early on in the set and it wasn’t hard to realize he had been honing those tremendous piano skills since the age of three. Creativity overflowed out of this musician so much that his latest album wasn’t just a story about love then falling out of love, but also a love story told within a motif of a zombie film. His introductions for each song wove us in and out of reality with the mention of “zombie” every now and then.
Arrangements like “Warpaint” and many other tracks he played off of Home are to hard to come by, and Castleton did a number on my desensitized mind in regards to the singer-songwriter genre.
To sew the story together, Lauren Coleman from the band, Pebaluna, also came out to help on vocals with her accessible and silky tones. With harmonies soaring over and under the reggae-kissed guitar riffs during a performance of “Coffeelocks,” it was all almost too perfect for the scene I was standing in.
It’s always a task to fully envelope yourself within a new artist when there are thousands of them out there. Yet, sometimes a mere suggestion is all it takes for you to tumble into an intriguing world like Gavin Castleton’s. Impressively thought-out narratives that stretch across all styles along with an honest yet confident air in performances will keep him a front-runner in this impetuous industry.
Gavin Castleton’s latest album, Home, is available on iTunes. You may also purchase it here. “Hope Is A Drug” is a song off of his upcoming EP, Random Anthems.
Photography by Jamie Lowe
Make sure to catch Gavin Castleton as he tours with Gardening, Not Architexture this week, then with Taking Back Sunday, Anberlin, and FUN for the rest of October!
10/07 Arlington, WA @ Mirkwood#
10/08 Spokane WA @ The Blvd#
10/22 Cincinnati, OH @ Cintas Center at Xavier University*
10/23 Colombus, OH @ Lifestyle Communities Pavilion*
10/25 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock Café*
10/27 Sauget, IL @ Pops*
10/28 Chicago, IL @ House of Blues*
10/29 Iowa City, IA @ Univ of Iowa – IMU Main Lounge*
10/30 Green Bay, WI @Tom, Dick and Harry’s*
1031 Fargo, ND @ The Venue*
#w/ Gardening, Not Architecture
*w/ Taking Back Sunday, Anberlin, FUN
Monday, December 21, 2009 10:01AM
[...] pleasure of experiencing this talented singer-songwriter’s work earlier in the year when he stopped by the Hotel Cafe. His live sets drip with soul and funk and are always finished in a coat in sincerity. Not only did [...]
Friday, April 16, 2010 6:25PM
[...] clear that everyone had traveled from elsewhere to hear his smooth vocals that night. Unlike the Hotel Cafe set we saw last year, Castleton really showcased his wide range of talents throughout the night bringing [...]