Live Review-The Swell Season @ Radio City

The concert I saw last night is just proof that if you believe in yourself and if you want something bad enough, your dreams will really come true. As cliche as it sounds, it is a fact, just ask Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of the Swell Season (aka "That Band from Once"). I have been a fan of Hansards for sometime now due to his other band, the Irish folk-rock outfit The Frames, however this side project of his and an Oscar to his and Irglova's named have propelled them to superstars. Walking out to the biggest crowd they have ever headlined for, a sold out Radio City Music Hall, Hansard tested the perfect acoustics of the venue by literally doing an unplugged and un-microphoned version of "Say it to me Now." As some audience members in the back asked him to speak up, other's defended the singer by saying "Shut up and listen," and listen they did. Just by the first song alone and seeing his voice hit that range without assistance, the crowd knew they were in for a concert experience they have never had before. While Hansard and Irglova joked that two years ago they were excited they sold out a small New York City club called Piano's, they had just thought of Radio City as a dream. They were able to open their eyes and see the reality as the fan's cheered and were sucked into the bands haunting beautiful music. Backed by a full band and playing a majority of the songs from the film Once, they had time to fit in a few new songs for an unknown upcoming record. It was not only a concert but part storytellers, part motivational speaking and part stand up comedy as Hansard and Irglova traded off discussing things that inspire them and the stories behind the songs. Just right before they broke into their Oscar winning song "Falling Slowly," Hansard joked about their new found fame by saying "our life has been like kicking a ball in the yard, and you want the ball to go from one end to the other, the thing is our ball went into the neighbors yard, down the river across the world, and now their is 1% of us saying I want my fucking ball back!" As large as the audience was, it was still a rather intimate show, with all of the fans sitting down as if they were at a theater function rather than a concert, it created an ambiance I am not accustomed to, but certainly worked. After a two hour set, they managed to squeeze in a couple Frames songs "What Happens When the Heart Just Stops," and "Fitzcaroldo", they closed with a Van Morrison cover "Into the Mystic." It was an exciting event and moment in time for not just the band but for the fans as well. A humbling live experience, that left you as modest as the film did.