Ireland and the American South rock the Northwest

On this particular evening in the U-District, I was in for some very pleasant surprises. It all started with a gentleman with an old-timey, bare knuckled brawler’s mustache and a newsboy’s hat; his name is Foy Vance. He came out, sat at the keyboard, and blew the crowd at the Neptune away with his opener, “Closed Hand, Full of Friends”. Throughout the evening, he charmed the crowd with stories and his songs that were full of heart, which culminated in a sing-along to his song, “Guiding Light”, which continued well after Foy’s set ended.

The crowd was abuzz while awaiting NEEDTOBREATHE and when the lights went down and then red, the cheers shook the theater. NEEDTOBREATHE opened with a bang with “Feet, Don’t Fail Me Now”. The South Carolina rockers, touring in support of their 2014 release, Rivers In The Wasteland, filled the theater with energy and positivity. Throughout the evening, the fans responded by dancing to their brand of Americana rock and connecting with their genuine nature.

One of the best things about photographing musicians is that on any given night, you can become a new fan all over again. On this particular evening, Foy Vance & NEEDTOBREATHE gained one more fan.