📷 / ✏️ : Tina Mead

As the doors opened and people began entering Constellation, we found a big empty space with risers at the far edges. The black curtains at one end eventually drew our attention, but folks were happy to sit on the risers and gather in the back. The chatter was loud and the tension was thick by the time the curtains drew back on The Hecks.

It was a blur of moving bodies and flashing lights as Jeff Graupner thrashed and Andrew Mosiman bounced on a tiny trampoline while wielding trigger flashlights with serious abandon. It was a fun, disorienting, and memorable way to start the show. If you’ve missed the memo, The Hecks have evolved. Performing as a duo, they are making heavy use of additional tracks to add percussion and layers to their sound. Mosiman moved with freedom, picking up the guitar now and then, but mostly exploring life as a handsfree vocalist. They are taking on Art Pop and experimenting with different genres in a way that is both exciting and challenging. There was a harpsichord classical feel to “Who do I thank for this life !!?” And then for something completely different, “Cowboyy” was an auto tuned pop country ballad. The common thread was the echoing sounds, the broad gestures, the dedication to rhythm and movement.

The groove caught hold on “If that’s what u say”, Graupner took over the mic and showed us moves that would make David Byrne proud. I was getting some Blondie spoken word vibes and when the two of them started moving in sync the audience fell to pieces. The rest of the set was stellar and kept the crowd moving. Some brave souls even decided to take a turn on the trampoline. Between songs I could hear folks breathing heavily from the compelled dancing. There was audible joy as they closed with an old favorite “My Star.” Keep an eye out for singles to be released soon, but in the meantime the best way to hear for yourself is to see them live. So make sure to follow them to hear about shows and those releases.

There were shouts as the curtains were pulled back to reveal Fran. Single carnations in a subtle shade of cream dotted the stage, in perfect compliment to the long flowing garb of Maria Jacobson, the singer/songwriter at the center of Fran. They wasted no time getting into the music. “Limousine” showed the emotional depth and dramatic highs of Jacobson’s voice. It was a logical first song as it opens Fran’s new album, Leaving, which they played in tracklist order.

Every song had an instant familiarity, and yet fresh perspective. This is shown off particularly well in the title track “Leaving.” They brought us some drowsy torch song vibes that built to soaring heights then stunned the audience with a silence that hung in the air, just for a moment before they struck the next note. Showing that sometimes the heart of the music lies in what happens between the notes. The lyrics of the song bring a fresh approach to the old aesthetic, “You’re leaving me now, won’t answer messages, I’m out, I’m on my ass now, I’m so afraid that I love you, but I’m only just met you and I can’t believe you’re leaving me now.” 

It was a revealing moment when Jacobson told us the pandemic taught her that the go go go attitude she felt pressured into wasn’t necessarily the way to go. Sometimes it's better to “do one thing and do it really good.”

Jacobson has found her authentic voice and a great group of folks to support it. Ashley Guerrero had a loose-limbed jazz drummer’s shuffle approach to the kit, bringing a balanced approach to the music, giving the kit exactly the right amount of welly for the moment. “Everybody” was a highlight of the set because Guerrero was able to unleash a little power. The harmonies between Jacobson, Bret Koontz and Carolina Chauffe on “God” showed off some of the butteriest choral inspired vibes I’ve heard in a long time. It practically oozed over the audience.

After all of that beautiful collaboration, there was something magical about a musician who can hold the stage alone, as Jacobson did with the closing song, “I Know You.” The band was just as rapt as the audience as Fran showed us all how to do one thing really good.

-Tina Mead