Concert Review: Hiss Golden Messenger at Saturn

Hiss Golden Messenger hails from Durham, NC and is largely the creative venture of lead singer M.C. Taylor. Formed in 2007, the project has developed a loyal following over the years. They last played in Birmingham in Fall of 2019 at Saturn. Hiss Golden Messenger also played a show local to Auburn in nearby Waverly, AL on that tour.

It is easy to see that Taylor and his fellow musicians know what they're doing. The band didn't miss a note, they came prepared, and they put on an amazing show. The live performance they've crafted is stellar.

M.C.'s raspy-smooth voice overtop the lush instrumentals made for an awesome listening experience. Taking the forefront of Hiss Golden Messenger's music is the writing, a segment that can often be lost in live shows, but not here. Taylor makes sure his brand of singer/songwriter is not lost in the mix, with his voice and his words ringing true throughout the show.

I honestly cannot praise the rest of the band enough. Tight and crisp drums kept a solid beat throughout, rollicking keys kept a sparkle in the mix, and some just plain beautiful guitar work stole the show. This is a group of musicians who know their craft and have perfected it.

Singer/songwriter Alexa rose opened the show. She'll be joining the group on all of their upcoming dates around America. Her beautiful and glistening style of folk echoed off the walls of Saturn to add a little shimmer to a sea of darkness. 

With over a dozen studio albums out in the world, there was a lot of material for M.C. and company to cover. The band couldn't hit near all of it, but a cool 18 songs made the cut, including a Merle Haggard cover melodied in.

          1. Standing in the Doorway

          2. I've Got a Name for the Newborn Child -> Mama Tried (Merle Haggard cover)

          3. As the Crow Flies

          4. Saturday's Song

          5. Biloxi -> Black Martin

          6. Passing Clouds

          7. Cat's Eye Blue

          8. Rock Holy

          9. Mighty Dollar

          10. Super Blue (Two Days Clean)

          11. Birtha

          12. Bright Direction (You're a Dark Star Now)

          13. Sanctuary

          14. Whip

          15. Way Back in the Way Back

          -

          16. Like a Mirror Loves a Hammer

Hiss Golden Messenger's tour has just begun. Birmingham was just the third city on this run of shows, so there's still plenty of time to catch them on this tour. Their remaining dates are listed below;

          2/06 New Orleans, LA — Tipitina's

          2/09 Houston, TX — White Oak Music Hall

          2/10 Fort Worth, TX — Tulips

          2/11 San Antonio, TX — Paper Tiger

          2/12 Austin, TX — Scoot Inn

          2/14 Phoenix, AZ — Crescent Ballroom

          2/16 Solana Beach, CA — Belly Up

          2/18 Los Angelos, CA — The Troubadour

          2/19 San Francisco, CA — The Fillmore

          2/23 Portland, OR — Mississippi Studios

          2/24 Portland, OR — Mississippi Studios (SOLD OUT)

          2/25 Seattle, WA — Neptune Theatre

          2/26 Vancouver, BC — Imperial Vancouver

          3/01 Boise, ID — Neurolux

          3/02 Salt Lake City, UT — The Commonwealth Room

          3/03 Fort Collins, CO — Washington's

          3/04 Denver, CO — Bluebird Theater

          3/05 Denver, CO — Bluebird Theater

          3/07 Kansas City, MO — The Record Bar

          3/08 St. Louis, MO — Off Broadway

          3/09 Madison, WI — High Noon Saloon

          3/10 Minneapolis, MN — Fine Line Music Cafe

          3/11 Chicago, IL — Thalia Hall

          3/12 Nashville, TN — Brooklyn Bowl
     

Expect Hiss Golden Messenger to keep wowing crowds. The project still has a lot of gas in the tank and their live shows prove it. This is a show that you don't want to miss.