Neko Case shows just why you should never miss her at Friday’s Liberty Hall show
Neko Case. // photo by Nick Spacek
If you count The New Pornographers shows, Friday night’s sold out Liberty Hall performance marked, either the eleventh or twelfth time I’ve seen singer-songwriter Neko Case. Suffice it to say, I’m a fan, because while Case is showcasing two new songs on this tour, she hasn’t put out an album since her seventh full-length, Hell-On, in 2018, and I saw her twice on that tour, and once since. I know what the songs are going to be at this point, and honestly, that is the point.
Neko Case. // photo by Nick Spacek
Case is the rare artist whose seventh full-length album was something of a revelation, showcasing her voice and songwriting skills in ways which actually had me excited to hear the new songs in a live setting, rather than just the old stuff. That’s still the case (pun unintended), and that’s what makes seeing a Neko Case show such a delightful experience. She’s got a couple covers in there—Sparks and Catherine Irwin—and while she might only occasionally acknowledge the stellar Furnace Room Lullaby, everything since 2002’s Blacklisted is up for grabs, and getting to hear these melancholic numbers never tires.
A few quibbles were had, certainly. Sadly, “Man,” from 2013’s The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You has been cut from the setlist. It’s injection of energetic giddy-up is sorely missed. Obviously, cancer is terrible and we miss Jon Rauhouse horribly, as we wish him a recovery so that he might return to the band. Her bass player is a good harmonizer, but the lack of someone like Kelly Hogan or Rachel Flotard on something like “Deep Red Bells” is noticeable, leaving such cuts feeling thin.
New songs “Little Gears” and “Wreck” from Case’s next album, due out in 2025, were delightful, but the audience chatter over them made it hard to hear them, which was especially a shame, considering the delightful baroque touches on “Little Gears.” It was the inverse of the addition of skronky sax to the intro of “Deep Red Bells,” and the outro on “Lady Pilot,” which frankly demanded attention. It’s exciting to hear a setlist which you were expecting, but in new and exciting ways. That is why I’ll simply never miss a show.
Imaad Wasif. // photo by Nick Spacek
The opener, Canadian musician Imaad Wasif, started out solo on acoustic guitar, but later added a drummer and switched to electric. His songs were simple, but did an awful lot with just his voice and two instruments. Psychedelic elements wandered in and out, with a rock-solid groove and Wasif’s powerful delivery drawing strong applause from the crowd, only growing in appreciation after each successive song. A vocalist came out to harmonize at one point, and it was almost like gilding the lily. Almost. By set’s end, the audience was clapping in unison as Wasif lay on the stage repeatedly singing, “I believe.” Glorious.
Our music Editor Nick Spacek was in attendance to capture the event:
Neko Case
Neko Case setlist
I Wish I Was the Moon
This Tornado Loves You
Hell‐On
I’m an Animal
Last Lion of Albion
Calling Cards
Deep Red Bells
People Got a Lotta Nerve
Margaret vs. Pauline
Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth (Sparks cover)
That Teenage Feeling
Lady Pilot
Little Gears
Hex (Catherine Irwin cover)
Oracle of the Maritimes
Outro With Bees
Wreck
The Pharaohs
Oh, Shadowless
Maybe Sparrow
—
Halls of Sarah
Star Witness
Hold On, Hold On
Imaad Wasif
