The Chapel was graced by the presence of Bruno Major and his live band last Tuesday, February 20th as a part of Noise Pop Festival 2018. Performing for a sold-out crowd, this is Major’s first North American tour, as well as his first time in San Francisco. The grateful singer-songwriter exclaimed “I can’t believe you all came,” as he performed tracks from his debut album A Song for Every Moon (2017).
This album was released somewhat uncharacteristically, as Major put out quite literally a song for every moon, writing and publishing a song in the span of four weeks. Twelve times. As any creative can tell you, forcing creativity is not a small feat. But Major channeled his artistry as well as the intensity of this time limitation to produce a raw album that is as introspective and as it is exclamatory.
In the serene and high-ceiling space of the Chapel, Tuesday concert-goers started of the night with opener Azuah and her accompanying band. A Bay Area native, she weaves together elements of folk and soul and matches Major’s singer/songwriter vibe.
The second opener was an unknown guest not revealed until she herself took the stage. Accompanied just by her guitar, singer Eloise Alexandra took the stage and delivered a captivating and skilled performance. Her sound is a blend of jazz, soul, and pop attributes; she is reminiscent of skilled vocalists like Jessie J., Lianne La Havas, and Norah Jones.
Shortly after, Major’s band took the stage with Eloise Alexandra returning to the stage as his pianist. Major walked out to a sold out crowd and immediately impressed with his guitar expertise, his fingers a blurred haze as he deftly accompanied himself.
Playing songs mainly from A Song for Every Moon, Major filled the space with his beautiful voice, tinged with a rasp that makes you want to hold onto it. Hearing these tracks played with a live band gave the songs a new drive that is not present in his pure and unembellished studio album
Each song is a look into Major’s own life, as they deliver unique narratives and offer the listener an intimate glimpse into stories from his own life. Through his music, he is able to portray things that he himself has witnessed and felt, taking the audience along on a musical journey. Whispers of his lyrics emanating from the crowd displayed the impact of his music and how his own musical journey has resonated with listeners.
He closed his set with his most well-known song “Easily,” which has close to 26 million streams on Spotify. The audience would not let him go that easy however as they gave a rousing cheer for an encore. Major returned to the stage with just Eloise Alexandra as they performed “Second Time” as a duet, their voices harmonizing perfectly.
The entire band returned to the stage for another encore song which was unrecognizable at first. But when Major came in with the lyrics “I got my eyes on you / You’re everything that I see,” it was unmistakably Drake’s chart-topper “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” This was quite a surprising choice, as these artists’ vibes could not be more seemingly opposed, but the interpretation was reinvigorating, his cover of the song jumping from a uptempo samba beat to a more trance-like swaying verse. Again, Major and his team portrayed their acute musicality through their grasp of various genres.
His extended encore closed with “Home,” after he which he blew a kiss to the audience and hopped off stage. With a limited discography but an unlimited pool of talent, Major is one to watch as he joins Sam Smith this year on the UK leg of his tour and finishes his first North American tour.
Written by Anna Nguyen
Photos by Norm de Veyra for Noise Pop Festival