Last time I saw Vance Joy, the show was at Lincoln Hall with very little lighting and a set that was more or less unplugged.  While his sound seemed well suited for intimate venues, I remember being concerned when I heard he would be opening for Taylor Swift, who is capable of selling out large arenas.  Vance Joy must have gained a lot of experience during that tour, because his “Fire and the Flood” circuit was amped up in more ways than one.

While I missed the first openers, I was able to catch Reuben and the Dark’s entire set.  The Canadians expertly wove electric and acoustic together during their set, and their sound fit the bill perfectly.  They are definitely a band to keep an eye out for in the future.

As I already stated, this year’s Vance Joy experience was quite different from the last one.  While there was still a gaggle of young girls screaming as if they were at a One Direction concert, there were a lot more males in the crowd and a wider age range.  The lighting during their set was fantastic and I often found myself cringing after the cameras were put away when the lighting came together to make for the perfect photo.  The instrumentals were much fuller, and the entirety of the Riviera Theatre was easily drown in sound.  New and old songs alike sounded great with the additional musicians.

Although Vance Joy didn’t share as many stories as he did at Lincoln Hall, he did tell fans of the time he had to go to Wikipedia to make sure that Lake Michigan wasn’t actually an ocean.  We are definitely spoiled in this city.   Sure, the winters can pack a punch, but when it warms up, nothing can beat the beauty of the city greeting the lake.

All in all, I was very impressed with the innovations that Vance Joy and his team put together for this tour.  I’m sure many fans would agree when I say that I’m excited to see what he does next!

For more photos, click here.