6 things that happened at the James Blake concert at the House of Blues
Shortly before sunset on Tuesday, fans started to line up on Lansdowne Avenue as they prepared themselves for a night full of mystical melodies and heavenly harmonies. The House of Blues was hosting yet another phenomenal show: James Blake and special guest Moses Sumney.
1. Moses Sumney opened with “Rank and File.”
Sumney gives a new twist to folk music with the use of loops, starting with “Rank and File.” He asked the crowd to sing loudly as he recorded their voices with the looping machine. By using layers and harmonies, he created a masterpiece of sound that set the crowd into a state of awe. Words can’t entirely describe what it sounded like so here’s a video:
2. James Blake made an inter-galatic entrance.
A light illustration appeared in the background, preparing the crowd for a special night to come. This show was one of many that sold out for his “The Colour in Anything” tour. The three-man group consisting of Blake, Ben Assiter and Rob McAndrews, all took the stage as the crowd roared.

PHOTO BY MADELINE FOLEY/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF.
3. James Blake played major hits, like “I Need a Forest Fire,” which won the crowd over.
Their setlist included “Timeless,” “Always,” “Limit To Your Love,” “Retrograde” and “Life Round Here.” During one of his pauses, James said, “Every time we come to Boston, it seems to get better and better,” which sent the crowd into screams and cheers.
4. Fans agreed — “That was absolutely insane.”
I also overheard, “My heart will never feel the same.” Their recent album, “The Colour in Anything,” has a very different vibe than Blake’s last album, “Overgrown.” It’s obvious that more electronic sounds are present, but it doesn’t take away from the groups authenticity. The venue lent itself to the fans to enjoy the musicians and fellow music lovers.

PHOTO BY MADELINE FOLEY/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF.
5 . Moses Sumney and Blake James sang to each other.
Blake invited Moses Sumney back onto stage to perform, “Modern Soul.” This track is off of “The Colour in Anything” and it almost seems as if Moses was actually in the group. His style is extremely similar to that of James Blake. Moses turned to James midway through the song, and they just sang to each other, which is something that as a musician you do when you’re entirely focused and taken over by the music.
6. James Blake took the stage alone for an encore and brought some to tears.
After several minutes of chanting and screaming, he started with a cover of “A Case Of You,” which is one of Joni Mitchell’s mellow and slow numbers. Some fans were put to tears. He closed out the show with “Measurements,” a song from his first album. He asked the crowd to be silent, as the entire song is a constant loop and basically a lullaby.
All in all, Moses Sumney, alongside James Blake inspired the crowd. There were so many feel-good moments where the music just took away everyone’s thoughts as they danced the night away. If you haven’t listened to Moses Sumney or James Blake, go listen. They’re phenomenal musicians whose genres are hard to pinpoint, which makes them likable for all music tastes. It’s safe to say that this concert was one for the books. I never believed in post-concert withdrawal, but now I know what it feels like.

gif via GIPHY.com
One of my old music teachers used to say, “The music will save you every time,” and that is definitely true. There honestly isn’t anything better than going to a concert for a musician that you love. Except for maybe chocolate, but you could always bring that with you, too.