When SK-born and currently ON-based indie folk-rocker Andy Shauf adds a stop in VA for his current solo tour, well, how can we afford to miss that? We last caught up with Andy (also in VA) in early 2022, when his extensive North American tour to promote the 2021 “Wilds” album brought him to the eastern seaboard. Returning to the region here in early 2024, Andy brought his 2023 “Norm” album material to the historic Barns at Wolf Trap – sans the band this time – for an intimate solo-acoustic performance to a packed barn.
With a solid 16-track performance plus an encore over the course of an hour, this introverted artist was happy to let his incredible music do the talking. “Hello everybody,” Andy shared as he arrived on stage and quickly tuned his guitar, before launching into “Wasted On You,” the first of five tracks selected from the latest album. Transitioning seamlessly into the SiriusXM radio hit “Halloween Store,” Andy would follow with “Spanish On The Beach” from “Wilds,” before making his first full address to the room.
“Everyone doing alright? I’m just curious, where are you guys all from,” he asked. “DC” “Columbia” “Here” “California” came the barrage of responses. “California?” Andy replied. “Columbia,” he added. “I barely know where I am right now. Well, thank you for being here. I’m glad to be here, wherever I am?” Having re-tuned for the upcoming performance of the crowd favorite, “Clove Cigarette,” Andy took in his surroundings. “This is really cool,” he stated. “Do you guys know it’s an old barn?” Laugher erupted from the room. “Ask me anything about it,” Andy added in jest.
Offering an unreleased song, “Yvonne,” Andy shared that this would be a new Foxwarren tune (Andy’s collaborative side-project with friends Dallas Bryson, Darryl Kissick, and Avery Kissick). Flipping the switch, Andy would also dig deep into his 2016 “The Bearer Of Bad News” album to resurrect “Covered In Dust,” adding that this was a really old song. “I wrote this when I was like 22, maybe,” he stated. “A little bit of a different mindset. A very dramatic mindset.” He would also ask if anybody in the room did the lottery, adding in jest that there is nothing to be ashamed of, and leading nicely into “Judy” from “Wilds.”
Of course, many recall that it was Andy’s retro 70s era pop sounding “The Party” album in 2016 that brought him both media attention and commercial success – and the audience responded in kind each time he pulled tracks from this release. And even with just an acoustic guitar (that was given a solid workout all evening), those unmistakable breezy tones that open “Quite Like You” had many suddenly leaning a little further forward in their seats.
Closing with a fabulous version of “Changer,” the final track from his 2020 “The Neon Skyline” album, Andy graciously accepted his applause and exited the stage. Returning to perform one final number, rather than rely on his pre-determined setlist, he opened the floor to the room for a request. Cries filled the barn immediately – “The Magician” “Drink My Rivers” “Wendell Walker” “Alexander” – if Andy was overwhelmed, he masked it well. “These are great, thank you,” Andy responded. “Thank you again, I really appreciate it.” And as the crowd quietened, one last cry for “Martha! Martha! Martha!” would prove a convincing victor on this occasion, Andy returning to “The Party” one final time to send us all home with an outstanding acoustic performance of “Martha Sways.”
Set List:
- Wasted On You
- Halloween Store
- Spanish On The Beach
- Clove Cigarette
- Yvonne (Unreleased Foxwarren tune)
- Norm
- The Worst In You
- Judy (Wilds)
- Jacob Rose
- Neon Skyline
- Paradise Cinema
- Telephone
- Covered In Dust
- To You
- Quite Like You
- Changer
Encore:
- Martha Sways
Photo Credit: Artist Website (Tour Poster)
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
