Vance Joy Should Be Your Left Hand Man

Chicago – Vance Joy is a man after my heart. The Australian lawyer turned singer-songwriter not only has musical chops parallel to Jeff Buckley and Matthew Santos, but he’s also an avid reader, who just so happens to have taken his stage name from a novel. After graduating law school, James Keogh decided to follow his passion and started playing open mic nights, in Melbourne, under the moniker Vance Joy. His beautiful, catchy songs that linger between folk and pop quickly garnered the attention of many in the music industry, and after performing at SXSW in 2013, he signed a record deal with Atlantic. He also gained our attention at BestNewBands, taking home the distinguished title of One to Watch in 2014. I was glad to be able to watch him perform on Saturday night, when he opened for Young the Giant at the Riviera and pocketed a special place in my musical heart.

As Joy and his band gracefully took the stage, members of the audience you could be heard screaming, “I love you Vance!” and “Love your hair!” He flashed a smile, humbly brushed his hand atop his curls, and thanked the crowd. He and his band seemed thrilled to be performing for the packed house. It’s not easy being the opening act, but they played their hearts out and appeared to charm everyone at the sold out show. However, it was clear there were plenty of Vance Joy fans in the venue. Concertgoers – but especially the ladies – sang along to songs like “Emmylou” and clapped to the beat of “Play With Fire.” What really got everyone going was “Snaggletooth.” The minute he picked up his ukulele and started strumming, the devoted knew what was coming and jumped with joy. Girls could be seen smiling, almost in tears, as they swayed back and forth singing, “Baby don’t you know that I love your snaggletooth? I see it poking when you laugh.”

Joy played through his EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing, but also hit us with some new material. He performed a wonderful tune about the long, intense flight from one end of Australia to the other, titled “Red Eye,” and the bittersweet guitar driven love song “Wasted Time.” Both of which I assume we’ll see on his soon to be released LP. Watching Vance Joy perform was breathtaking. My chest filled with a mix of emotions, especially when he belted out those high notes; not only did his voice remind me of the talented Jeff Buckley, but so did his body language and the passion displayed in his face. My gut told me I was witnessing something special. I wasn’t alone. As I scanned the audience, I observed many a jaw on the floor. His powerful voice floored plenty of people, and I’m sure those who were unfamiliar with him before this show have since become fans of him and his heartfelt tunes.

Before closing out his set, Vance thanked Young the Giant for having him on the Mind Over Matter Tour. He noted that the momentous opportunity has been quite an experience, but in his adorable Aussie accent said, “But I reckon it hasn’t really sunken in yet.” He joked that once this tour is done, he’ll head home and spend some time reflecting on it all. Vance and his band finished the night out with the hit single “Riptide,” which made him a featured artist of ours not too long ago. The delightful and infectious song was met with cheers. As the crowd danced and sang along to its candied lyrics, a sea of lit phones blanketed the theater to capture the merry moment. When the song came to an end, people from the balcony down to the pit stood tall, filling the old theater with applause.

Vance Joy is currently on tour with Young the Giant. After the Mind Over Matter Tour, he’ll return to Australia, hit up the UK, and then make his rounds on the festival circuit, including Bonnaroo and Firefly in the U.S. His well-written songs and his beautiful voice make him a man not to be missed, so if you get the chance, see him live and make him your left hand man!

(All photos by Sarah Hess: smhimaging.com)

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Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.

You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.