Hot off her new album, Neon Grey Midnight Green, Neko Case hit the road on tour, which included a stop at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre. The last few times I’ve seen Case live (both solo and with The New Pornographers) have been at the Vogue, and it’s an excellent venue for her soaring alt-folk.

Opening the night was John Grant, and unfortunately I only caught the last two songs, but they were wildly different from each other. “Marz” was a synth-folk tune with heavy vocal effects, while he ended with a sweet piano ballad, “Caramel”.

After a short break — and an announcement over the PA requesting no photos or videos during the show — Neko Case took the stage with her backing band that consisted of Nora O’Connor, Adam Schatz, Kyle Crane, Andrew McKeag, and of course, Paul Rigby.

She kicked off the set with a couple older songs, “Bracing For Sunday” and the ferocious “People Got a Lotta Nerve” before delving into the new album with “Louise”, immediately showing off her stunning vocals.

From there, the set spanned her career, going all the way back to Blacklisted with “Deep Red Bells” and “Lady Pilot”, up to the new album with the building tension & release of the title track “Neon Grey Midnight Green” and “Match-Lit”, dedicated to all the ghosts in the (famously haunted) Vogue Theatre. Other highlights included the tempestuous “This Tornado Loves You”, as well as “That Teenage Feeling” & “Rusty Mountain” played back to back as two excellent examples of Case’s version of a love song.

After the quirky, almost tone-poem “Tomboy Gold” and the soaring “Wreck”, Case brought the main set to a huge finish with “Star Witness”, the whole band letting loose. But of course, everyone was back a moment later for a few more older songs, the longing “I Wish I Was the Moon” and one of my all time favourites with “Hold On, Hold On”, before ending off with “At Last”.

I don’t think I’m breaking any new ground when saying Neko Case’s voice is unmatched. But I feel like every time I’ve seen her live, I’m absolutely blown away anew. Combined with her heartfelt songwriting and excellent backing band, it makes for a great live show.

setlist
Bracing for Sunday
People Got a Lotta Nerve
Louise
Deep Red Bells
This Tornado Loves You
Little Gears
Baby, I’m Not (A Werewolf)
Magpie to the Morning
I’m an Animal
Destination
Lady Pilot
Oh, Shadowless
That Teenage Feeling
Rusty Mountain
Match-Lit
Neon Grey Midnight Green
Tomboy Gold
Wreck
Star Witness
(encore)
I Wish I Was the Moon
Hold On, Hold On
At Last