A liveshow review: Thomas Dybdahl on July 19th, 2011 at Drake Hotel

In one of the hotter evenings of the summer, Norwegian singer songwriter, Thomas Dybdahl brought an enthusiastic performance in Toronto on July 19th, 2011 at Drake Hotel.

 

The opening act, Nina shared very quiet and calming tunes with the audience. The attentive crowd paid full attention to the singer on stage and it felt like I could even hear a pin drop.

 

The singer kept everything simple- from her guitar stokes to her whispering voice. Although her style enhanced the beauty of her vocals, which floated with ethereal melodies that generated from a single guitar, I couldn't help wondering how it would have sounded if she created some melodic hills from time to time.

 

Thomas Dybdahl and his band quickly set up their gears soon after and before I knew it, they were ready to deliver their very first performance in Toronto. It was interesting to see how he paid careful attention to the audience. Dybdahl excitingly exclaimed that he would love to get to know how everyone ended up in the same room and came to his performance. Friendly inquiries continuously popped out from him in-between songs: "Do u guys have any questions?", "Any songs that you would like to hear?", etc. It was when the singer encouraged the audience to sing along during a song called ‘Cecilia’ - “Here I am, Flesh and Bones”, that the venue became as one and the shy audience finally connected with the singer. From that point on, it was his game and he continued to impress the audience with more songs including ‘Love Story’.

 

I especially fell in love with the performance in the sense that Dybdahl was able to create a one-time only experience with the audience. Not only did they mix delicate melodies among the members on the stage, but they also enclosed it with deep thoughts and feelings. I felt privileged to be a part of sharing the moment with everyone present.

 

Dybdahl and his band ended the performance with a song entitled, "Songs". His remarkable tunes from tonight will certainly be among the  "songs" that I will always remember.