British performer Patrick Wolf returned to Los Angeles on Sept. 13 and 14th to support his most recent album Lupercalia, stopping by the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for two nights of intimate acoustic performances.
Since the release of his first studio album Lycanthropy in 2003, each new album has presented a new stage of Wolf’s life and his versatile musical ability. Tuesday and Wednesday’s shows turned years of what could seem like an unrelated string of albums into a seamless work of a classically trained and masterful musician.
Calpernia Addams, a transgender activist and self proclaimed burlesque dancer, took to the stage as an unknown opening act and introduced herself as “your auto harp playing kindergarten teacher.” Calpernia performed what was a surprisingly modest set, using these performances as a trip into her past as a southern minister’s daughter.
Having met Wolf last year in L.A., she made clear her appreciation to him for his belief in her despite her nervous insecurity. Finishing up her set, she played a song from her days in church, called the “Great Speckled Bird”, a religious nod the both the environment and her forgotten past.
With Victoria Sutherland, a long time friend and violinist for Wolf, on stage and ready to strike her strings, Wolf began strumming his ukulele and walked up the aisle slowly filling the room with the opening lyrics to “London”. This grandiose entrance was cut short as Sutherland began playing and he immediately realized he had started in the wrong key, laughed, and said hello to the humored audience. Fumbling over words and sound equipment most of Tuesday night’s set, Wolf invited the room into an intimate experience as stood willingly vulnerable before the seated crowd.
Past concerts have no doubt proven Wolf’s performance talents (personal highlight being the high production show at the London Palladium in 2009), but tonight’s stripped down set reminded every fan and newcomer that he is more than anything a master of his craft. With the complicated instrumentals and production of his album tracks stripped away, Wolf’s voice felt powerful and clear.
His song selections ranged from all five of his albums, each reconstructed and played raw and acoustic. He shared with the audience that 35 songs were prepared and changed to fit this acoustic tour, not wanting to make any night’s performance a similar set.
Perhaps the most surprising reconstruction was “Hard Times”, an electronic power ballad transformed into a soft instrumental duet. “Together”, played both nights, was reconstructed into a Spanish mariachi version after finding himself attached to L.A.’s only spanglish radio station, a version he jokingly hopes will one day be played by his favorite station DJ.
“The Future”, originally written after spending time in San Francisco over five years ago, was played for the first time in California since then and smoothly transitioned into a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “All I Want”.
Over the years, London-based Wolf has shown an increased admiration for California and in particular, Los Angeles. Here he found darker inspiration for songs on The Bachelor, as well as began writing and producing Lupercalia. Also, in the past two years he has made L.A. his choice to produce his music videos “The City” in Santa Monica and “The House”.
Bidding goodbye to L.A. Wednesday night, Wolf shared his ever-growing appreciation for this city, its people, and the influence it has had on him and his music. He promised to return in the spring.
Written and photographed by Kelsey Heng
To see the rest of the photos go here.
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