Iron and Wine frontman Sam Beam was visibly nervous when he stepped under the blue and white lights before a raucous crowd Tuesday night.
Beam took a seat and stared, squinting at the audience for a moment, a bit hesitant to start, while a roar of applause beatˇoff the walls of Popejoy Hall. ˇ
Beam's stringy red beard shrouded most of his face and conveyed a soft-spoken personality revealed both on and off stage. During one of the show's two slip-ups, Sam looked over to band mate Rob Burger and playfully quipped, "You're making me nervous, Rob," which caused the audience to break into laughter.ˇ
As modest as Beam seemed, his deep, whisky-barreled voice was anything but demure. It bellowed out to the audience, bearing full disclosure of sorrows and recollections. Beam captured the audience through his personal anecdotes and subtle rhythmic chords.ˇ
Beam said he drew influence from growing up in South Carolina.
"I feel most comfortable in the tradition of blues music and it's ability to tell stories," he said.
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Iron and Wine has a cult following. While most artists are admonished for forgetting how to play a song, the opposite is true for Iron and Wine. Fans shouted encouragements when the band messed up, demonstrating a fan base that's less critical of the performance and apt to support the musician, as one would support a friend who slips up while playing at a coffee house.ˇ
Fed by the audience's support, Beam closed his set with a cover of Neil Young's "Albuquerque," joined by Grammy-winning musician Glen Hansard and members of the band Once. An appreciative Beam waved twice to the audience who rose to their feet in applause, and as the stage lights dimmed, his silhouette made its way out of the limelight.
