REVIEW: The MC Taylor Goldsmith Show at The Egg
03/11 @ The Egg, Albany
All Photos by Debi Gustafson
“Taylor Goldsmith and MC Taylor brought their very best VH1 Storytellers impression to Albany on a warm early Spring Tuesday, and they were able to take the warmth of the warmest day of the season and inject it into a truly tremendous performance.”
At one point early in their set at the Hart Theatre inside The Egg, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith took a moment to praise those who turned out on a Tuesday night in upstate New York for an evening with himself and MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger: “It’s a weeknight; the headlining duo doesn’t start until 9PM… this is a big commitment you’ve signed up for!”
This prompted some warm laughter from the audience, something that was a common occurrence throughout the evening as the duo teamed up with opener Jonny Fritz for “The M.C. Taylor Goldsmith Show” – an intimate singer-songwriter experience in a room that was engineered to be the perfect place for it.
Fritz kicked things off in a pair of golden-glitter shoes, quipping that he wasn’t even originally supposed to be on this tour: “I basically commented on their Instagram post asking if they needed an opener, and a couple of days later they sent me an offer… so, you never know!” He was immediately funny and endearing, and demonstrated a keen ability to write a fun and relatable song on “Tea Man” (an ode to his love of the beverage), a trait only bolstered with each successive offering on songs like “Stadium Inn” and “Trash Day”.
His wry sense of humor had us all along for the ride as he took us through some true life experiences such as witnessing dirty looks exchanged between coworkers at Walgreens, being exposed to racist and conspiracy-minded relatives, forgetting to put out the trash, and witnessing some strange things through hotel windows while in traffic. It also happened to be his birthday, and a showgoer revealed this by delivering him a small cake and a birthday card; this prompted a first for me, as the entire crowd broke out into an impromptu rendition of “Happy Birthday” in one of the more wholesome moments I’ve witnessed at a show.
After a brief intermission, the Taylors emerged on the stage. Instead of each playing their own solo set, this tour has seen them sharing the stage and trading the lead as they took turns performing songs from each of their extensive catalogs. While both are better known as the frontmen and lead guitarists of their respective bands, they’ve gotten an opportunity to delve into their deep catalogs in a new way with nothing but their voices and guitars. This led to some of the most unique performances of these songs that fans of the duo could ever experience, marking a truly memorable experience for fans of both bands.
Their vocals complemented each other well, and the way Goldsmith’s polished and clean vocals blended with Taylor’s grittier sound in a way where both stood out but also elevated each other was immediately palpable on the opening Hiss Golden Messenger tune, “Gulfport You’ve Been On My Mind,” and continued through the harmonies on the second song, Dawes’ “Million Dollar Bill”.
The evening’s warm tone continued with anecdotes of connections to local institutions like Union College, author William Kennedy, and a past dinner at Ferrari’s in Schenectady that became an all out conversation with those in attendance; we were all cordially invited to join them later on for spaghetti and meatballs after the show.
Although this was a duo set, both artists got some time in the spotlight for a brief, intimate solo interlude. For Taylor, this included a sneak preview of some songs from the upcoming Hiss Golden Messenger Album, being recorded in Woodstock just under an hour from Albany. Goldsmith used this opportunity to showcase a new song of his as well, written for and dedicated to his children in a truly moving moment for all of the parents in the room.
The duo reunited to close things out, with spirited renditions of Hiss Golden Messenger’s “Heart Like a Levee” and Dawes’ nostalgia-filled anthem, “All Your Favorite Bands,” giving us perhaps the most beautiful well-wish we as music lovers could ever receive: “May all your favorite bands stay together…”. Rounding out the evening was a slowed down, stripped back version of Neil Young’s protest anthem “Rockin in the Free World” which delivered a cathartic and poignant singalong from many in the crowd.
Taylor Goldsmith and MC Taylor brought their very best VH1 Storytellers impression to Albany on a warm, early Spring Tuesday, and they were able to take the warmth of the warmest day of the season and inject it into a truly tremendous performance. It felt like hanging out in your friends’ living room and having them play you some of the songs they’ve been working on. They left their fans with an experience they won’t soon forget, with versions of their songs that no one will be able to experience anywhere else.
