“The way you sing unlocks my heart
Just like a key, like a key
And brings you right back home to me.”
And here we are, back home again in Indiana.
Indianapolis’ own Lily and Madeleine returned home for the final stop on their latest tour for a performance at Deluxe at Old National Centre. This time, they were joined by local musicians Keller&Cole.
I’ve been a fan of Lily and Madeleine since I saw them perform in Valparaiso. Honestly, what isn’t there to love? The intricate melodies, the , and of course, those harmonies. It’s been almost a full calendar year since I’ve seen them, and I’m anxious to see what’s new this time around. So without further ado, let’s get this started. I’ve made my way downtown, I have my tickets, and I’m on my way to the basement of ONC. Allons-y.
Keller&Cole – an acoustic duo comprised of local musicians Landon Keller and Kara Cole – kicked things off this evening. I’ve long regarded Keller as one of the most talented artists in the city, and Cole is another tremendous performer, so I’m excited to see this latest project from the duo.
The result was a very stripped-down, very intimate set, with Keller on guitar and Cole on vocals. There are no frills nor gimmicks to get in the way of their set of originals and covers. Just the pure, raw talent that both artists typically bring to the table. There isn’t much to hide behind when it comes to a performance like this. There is only the music on display, and it’s done very well. You don’t need an elaborate stage show to put on a good performance. Sometimes you just need a guitar, some perfectly executed vocal harmonies, and the emotion to bring it all together, and that’s something Keller&Cole have no shortage of.
Though they might be a little-known act, it’s nice to see so many people in the Deluxe room – maybe half-full at this time – listening attentively. A sign of things to come? We’ll see, but for now, keep an eye on these two. There’s plenty of great music all around this city and beyond, and add Keller&Cole to that growing list of who to check out.
The set ends, and there’s a brief intermission to set up for our main event. Out in the crowd, it’s a mix of mostly college-aged people and above, chatting politely, exchanging hugs, and some sipping on their drinks purchased from the bar located in the hallway outside the room. It’s a very calm atmosphere, a far cry from the metal-infused audience from the last time I stood in this very spot.
Almost without warning, Lily and Madeleine take the stage, go right into “Not Gonna,” and off we go.
It’s been roughly a year since I saw the two sisters – along with their backing band Shannon Hayden, Kate Siefker – perform at Deluxe in celebration of the newly-released Keep It Together (a record still in constant rotation on my turntable). Now in 2017, they’re still very much supporting their third album, with much of the setlist being composed of newer songs. Of course, they do venture into older songs, like “In The Middle” or one of my personal favorites, “Devil We Know.”
They’ve been on tour recently, and tonight is a homecoming for the sisters, and it very much feels like it. They seem very relaxed throughout their set, even taking some time to point out a few familiar faces in the crowd. They’re relaxed, they look like they’re glad to be home, and they’re completely in their element.
One thing that has always impressed me about the Jurkiewicz sisters is how much emotion is put into their songs. Performance-wise, there isn’t much difference between what you hear onstage compared to what you hear on the record, but it’s not about that. It’s about how much you feel each note, each lyric, each little detail from start to finish. Not many people do it like they do. You can listen to a song a million times at home, but when you go to see Lily and Madeleine in your town, it takes on a new life.
The show can’t last forever. At the end of the evening, they close with “Nothing,” and depart the stage. It’s a few more moments of applause before they come back for the encore (they joked that they didn’t know how long the applause would last, so they came back out anyway). It’s two more songs before sending everyone at Deluxe on their way, back outside to the cool, crisp Indianapolis evening.
Final verdict?
If you were looking for a show with a lot of bells and whistles, then this wasn’t for you. Rather, this was music in its purest form. No special effects and nothing to hide behind. Just pure, raw emotion performed by some of Indianapolis’ finest artists.
And for this Midwest Kid, there’s nothing better than that.
The Good:
Keller&Cole was a nice way to start the evening. The local Indianapolis acoustic duo set the tone, and Lily and Madeleine were there to take it home. No flips, just pure unadulterated music and performance.
The Bad:
None to speak of.