Foy Vance brings The Joy of Nothing to The Truman

January 26, 2024

Haley Mullenix,

Foy Vance. // photo by Haley Mullenix

If you were looking for the perfect show to attend on a cool foggy night in Kansas City, Foy Vance at The Truman was the place to be Wednesday night. If you’ve been to The Truman, you’ll know it can get packed quick but luckily, the combination of foggy weather, and assigned seating made the energy shift to something a bit more relaxed.

The night opened with Bonnie Bishop, who took our hands and pulled us in with her southern charm. Coming from Texas, she had that notable hospitality and mentioned she was graciously selling hankies at the merch stand, perfect for wiping tears at weddings, funerals, and (of course) Foy Vance shows.

Her voice was powerful and vibrant and her sense of humor throughout the set made for a killer combination. Bonnie told a cheeky little story to accompany her song, “Women at the Well”, that rings as a bit of a feminist anthem in saying, “You can talk all you want but I’ll still come out better on the other side.”

Bonnie Bishop. // photo by Haley Mullenix

Wearing a thrifted prom dress and an old cropped Future Farmers of America jacket, she was really appealing to the masses and personally, I’d like to borrow some thrift tips.

Finally, the time came for Foy Vance to take the stage. You would’ve missed him if you blinked as he suddenly appeared at the piano, clad in a mustard yellow velvet blazer ready to serenade the crowd with songs of hope, loss of hope, and obviously, the Joy of Nothing.

Hailing from Northern Ireland, Vance told stories of his home town of Bangor, which he so lovingly described as a “shite-hole” as well as the—checks notes—“bad tooth in the smile of Ireland”. Though Vance has a recent Emmy win for his song “A Beautiful Game” for the show Ted Lasso, co-written with Max Martin and none other than Ed Sheeran, he’s not strayed from his roots one bit. Not even if he can call the Emmy to the stage with just a whistle and some snazzy glasses.

Foy’s set got extra interesting about half way through when he pulled out the loop pedal and began creating that beautiful something out of nothing. He sang INTO and slapped the guitar creating what I can only describe as hauntingly hypnotic echoes.

This tour, Regarding the Joy of Nothing comes as a bit of an homage to his 2013 release (Joy of Nothing) and pays tribute to the album that put him on the scene. If you want genuine and real, Foy is the right place to look. It’s like hanging out with a friend you can cry along with.

All photos by Haley Mullenix

Foy Vance