Show Review: Jacob Collier with Marie Dresselhuis at the Orpheum
While ShowHub’s focus is on local artists and small venues, this particular show warrants a special mention, with a major touring artist bringing in a local act as support. The fact he messaged her personally, rather than having agents and middlemen handle things, speaks volumes about both his character and his respect for fellow artists.
Marie Dresselhuis
Local singer-songwriter Marie Dresselhuis opened the show, and did an amazing job for an audience that was incredibly supportive and welcoming. Her singing is often reminiscent of Sarah McLachlan, her piano playing classic and tasteful, as is her guitar work. Even though she admitted to being incredibly excited to be opening the evening, her stage presence was relaxed and unhurried, with both humour and poise. She put on a performance that made Vancouver proud, and her duet with Jacob later in the evening was a highlight of the evening.
Jacob Collier
Jacob Collier is absolutely brilliant. Combine an incredible voice with an unbelievable range, being completely at home on any instrument, and a stellar production team in a theatre built for sound, and you have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
His knowledge of musical theory, harmonies, and composition is incomparable – allowing him to change all the rules and turn them inside out, while making it work brilliantly. It’s like watching a mad scientist in their lab, but with a grand piano and assorted other instruments. His stage presence is high energy, with humour, humility, and pure joy.
Jacob’s two-hour set began with a vocal warm-up for the audience. From there, the night moved between solo performance and audience participation, with the team using lighting cues early on to guide everyone until it was clear the crowd was on track, then letting things happen naturally.
His set list was incredibly diverse, ranging from Michael Bublé to Bob Marley to JS Bach – a mix of covers and a good number of originals.
There didn’t feel like as much “audience choir” content as expected, but that was deceptive. Over a full two-hour set it added up, and there was more than enough that everyone’s voices were pretty tired by the end. He conducted the room through layered, complex harmonies, and at one point even had sections doing bird calls and ocean surf sounds to go along with the current music selection.
The sound was impeccable, and the lighting tasteful, unobtrusive, and very well designed. The stage setup was simple – some decorative plants to soften the scene, a very large grand piano, along with a synth, double bass, 5-string guitar, and a couple of other electronics, including a self-designed, foot-operated “drum kit.”
He closed the show by weaving our national anthem, into a rendition of Queen’s Somebody to Love – which was a very cool moment that nearly blew the lovely roof right off the place.
When he comes back – and we’re sure he will – don’t hesitate. Given the size of stadiums he often performs in, seeing him in a room like the Orpheum is akin to seeing a local sensation like Honeybear, the Band at a house concert. More about them coming soon.