AA Bondy has been making waves since the release of his album When The Devil’s Loose last year on Fat Possum Records. Last night, the songwriter played a show at Café Du Nord with opening act Willy Mason. Bondy, who has been on tour almost constantly since last July, is a commanding yet intimate performer who develops a somber atmosphere during his sets.

Folk rocker Willy Mason was a nice surprise mainly because I had no idea he was opening until the day before. Playing mostly songs off 2004’s Where The Humans Eat and a handful off 2007’s If The Ocean Gets Rough, Willy stood solo with acoustic guitar in hand, easily charming the ever growing crowd. Particularly with the title track off Where the Humans Eat, which I’m pretty sure is about a dog.

Playing for almost an hour (I love two-act line-ups), he was a welcomed opener for his fellow singer-songwriter.

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[mp3] Willy Mason – Where the Humans Eat from Where the Humans Eat (2004)

On this tour, Bondy was allotted over an hour to play and while he did not leave out some songs that have become staples (such as Lover’s Waltz and American Hearts) the new songs are what made that night a bit more special. He stood tall with dim red lights beaming at his lanky figure and proceeded to perform his brand of Americana / singer-songwriter style tunes.

These songs are defined by their poetic lyrics, sentimental arrangements and antique sound. They are about longing, death, love and friendship, and they deserve a quiet audience. And Bondy played for a very focused audience.

The stand out of the night was a ‘louder’ and swaying version of There’s A Reason. Usually a sweet and acoustic track, Bondy and his band created a fuller sound around the song, causing a few fans to dance along.

Overall AA Bondy’s show last night was a very warm and intimate performance that well represented his work on record.

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[mp3] A.A. Bondy – There’s A Reason from American Hearts (2007)

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[mp3] A.A. Bondy – I Can See The Pines Are Dancing from When The Devil’s Loose (2009)

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