Photo of Kevin Morby by Laura Jerele
I covered Kevin Morby back in October when he opened for Lord Huron, and even as the opener, he took a hold of the crowd. So when he got his own headline slot at Delmar Hall, nearly sold out by the way, it was a no-brainer to cover the show.
When I walked in, the crowd was sparse, so I checked out the stage dressed with sunflowers everywhere, with warm amber lighting washing over everything in this wonderful glow. I get the vibe they were going for, and it felt like a Midwestern county fair with the best possible headliner. Theatrical, sure, but never overdone or cheesy. It set the entire tone and it was honestly really welcoming. By the time I was done checking out the stage, I turned around and damn, people were just pouring into the venue! I chatted with some really awesome people who came into town for the show, including a couple from Tennessee, a few from Kansas City and a group from Indiana. That’s what you do when your favorite artist hits the road—you go see the shows!
Kevin Morby’s style is commanding without being showy and emotional without being performative. That’s a genuinely rare thing, but he is a Midwesterner after all! Tonight’s set leaned heavily into his new album Little Wide Open—which, if you haven’t heard it yet, fix that immediately. The songs feel super personal, a bit vulnerable, and he’s got a lot of feel when he performs. He’s quite the guitarist as well, present and purposeful without ever tipping into over-playing, but he’s also not afraid to just freaking let go and rock out.
The highlight for me was “100,000.” Morby picks through small town specifics, and somehow manages to throw a Metallica reference into the song about the simplicity and complexity of Midwestern existence. Gotta love that! And on an adorable note, he had a charming kid serving up guitars as a little mini guitar tech who was about the same size as the damn guitars. I have no idea whose kids and family were in the wings, didn’t matter, they stole the show and that was a heart-melter. “Natural Disaster” and “This Is A Photograph” stood out as well, and he ended the night with “Dorothy.”
Opening the show is his bandmate, Liam Kazar, who is also a wonderful singer/songwriter in his own right. His songs were really good, and I highly recommend you follow him on social media. Cooking and music, it’s worth a follow. Oh, and a word on Kevin’s partner Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee. The two have been together for bit and whether they like to admit it or not, they are indie darlings, full stop. I can see the way Morby’s Midwestern roots and her southern roots have quietly shaped each other’s work. Morby moved back to his Kansas City hometown back in 2017, and said he likes the simplicity and feels more appreciative of where he’s been and genuinely excited about what lies ahead while being grounded there. Majorly talented musician, but he’s a grounded dude. I thoroughly enjoyed this show. Don’t miss him next time. | Laura Jerele
