The Dear Hunter cut no corners in its performance in Washington’s Rock & Roll Hotel.
The group’s setlist pulled songs from all over its discography, though it leaned heavily on their fourth and fifth albums.
The cozy venue combined with the amicable nature of band leader Casey Crescenzo gave the concert an intimate feel, as though the audience was supporting a band made of childhood friends.
With the drummer’s toms serving as an exhilarated pulse, The Dear Hunter opened with “The March.” Crescenzo’s neat comb-over quickly deteriorated into a messy curtain of hair, obscuring him from the audience’s view as he shouted out lyrics.
The crowd was well-versed in the group’s discography, turning the concert into a sing-along, especially during popular songs like “Waves” and “The Moon / Awake,” which only furthered the show’s welcoming atmosphere.
Crescenzo even asked the audience to play a specific role in the back-up vocals of “The Revival.” The crowd’s excited, drawn-out “Ooooohhhhh” leading into the second chorus was perhaps the climax of the evening.
The only other moment that came close was Crescenzo’s shrieking guitar solo at the tail end of “Is There Anybody Here.” The minute-long, understated yet powerful improvisation was nearly drowned out by the audience’s screams of joy.
For a group with such a wide array of instrumentation, The Dear Hunter did an excellent job recreating its grandiose scores with only six musicians – the five band members plus opener Gavin Castleton lending the group his keyboard playing and singing for the tour.
The vocal performances of the show were certainly the most impressive element of the night. Songs from The Dear Hunter often layer vocals during songs with intricate and involved parts for back-up singers. Guitarist Rob Parr, bassist Nick Sollecito and Castleton managed to supply all the necessary tones, pitches and ranges required to do the music justice.
Crescenzo’s vocals were electric. While some performers have trouble hitting the notes they recorded while performing live and do not even attempt to do so, Crescenzo hit and sometimes even exaggerated the toughest and most powerful notes. He even improvised vocal riffs that tested his range over portions of songs that are typically instrumentals.
The Dear Hunter’s intricate melodies and their transitions that involve time signature changes are extremely challenging to execute, but you would not have known it watching their show. The delight with which they played was contagious, leaving the fans exhilarated to have seen this elusive group perform.
