Typically when music lovers step foot into a particular venue, they only expect to see three or four, maybe five musicians occupying the stage. Contrary to that belief, the concert that unfolded Sept. 20 at Lincoln Hall had a much different make up, in fact almost doubling that anticipated amount. This was just one way in which Typhoon broke concert conventions.
Hailing from the far northwest corner of the United States in Portland, Typhoon is not your typical, everyday band touring the country. Composed of anywhere from 10 to 14 members, the musically gifted bunch of individuals graced the stage with a strong force of 11 talented musicians. Before the anticipation could be broken, another promising act known by the name Radiation City set the tone for the evening before Typhoon entered the stage.
To describe the atmosphere inside Lincoln Hall as mellow and laid back would do no justice to the complexity of the songs performed on stage, crafting an exceptional presentation of musical ability before the light shifted towards Typhoon. Also calling Portland home, Radiation City’s set list was highlighted by songs such as “Foreign Bodies” and “Zombies” from their most recent release, “Animals in the Median.”
The five-piece band took the audience on a quiet walk along the waterfront while tackling greater concerns such as individual relationships and the strains that bad habits can have on a person. The angelic voices of Elisabeth Ellison and Patti King beautifully synchronized each song into the next. Before anyone could flinch, the band had completed their last song of the evening and the lights flickered back on while the venue reached capacity before Typhoon took the stage to play for a soldout audience.
Amidst a loud roar of applause and cheers, all 11, yes, 11, members of Typhoon gracefully appeared out from behind the curtain to take their respective positions on stage and begin what would pan out to be an extraordinary musical experience for anyone in attendance. At first glance, one would often think that having that many people on stage each doing different things would amount to nothing more than clutter and confusion. In fact, a very different situation unfolded.
Not wasting any time, the band immediately jumped into a truly impressive rendition of a fan favorite, “Kitchen Tile” off their 2011 release, “A New Kind of House.” Led by the captivating lyrics of lead singer Kyle Morton, the duel drumming displayed by Pieter Hilton and Alex Finch brought the song to a unique crescendo that left the audience in awe after only one tune. Expecting the night to slowly trickle off as the set list progressed, they were very much proven wrong as each song was wisely woven into the next, while the band members made plenty of room for thanks and appreciation towards the Chicago crowd in between songs.
Unfortunately, while the band did not seem to find the time to work arguably their most impressive song, “The Honest Truth,” into the set, the band timidly stepped off stage only to return to play an unforgettable encore for the crowd on hand. Highlighted by an initially solo performance of the song “Summer Home” that was accompanied halfway through by the rest of the band, the Portland natives left the eager crowd with a warm sensation and a true appreciation for the talent that was just displayed on stage. Any type of art such as music naturally displays a type of passion and care, but Typhoon has redefined the meaning of passion to a feeling that is nothing short of indescribable. With no immediate plans to return to Chicago yet, fans only hoped that the word would get out on one of Portland’s best kept secrets.