Keaton Henson is an English musician who has amassed a somewhat intense following. How do I know this? It was raining outside on Tuesday night and people were lining up to get into the venue. The show also sold out in two hours according to a well placed source. Seriously though, it was raining and cold and you will always have a great sightline at the Great Hall at full capacity. So either people did not know that, or they were very intense fans. I chose to believe the latter. Keaton has built up the following with a career that has spanned 5 albums, most of which were probably good (I have no idea). He has also benefited from the use of his music on the BBC3 Show, In The Flesh as well as the modern day Sherlock Holmes show Elementary which is already in it’s 5th season? wtf?
Anyways, point was, it was popular show.
One thing of particular intrigue regarding Keaton Henson is that he suffers from chronic anxiety and as such, rarely ever plays shows. Normally this would be a thing where you are like oh wow, this is cool to see, but actually seeing someone overcome their issue for the purpose of art was rather inspiring. Upon taking the stage, Keaton rarely addressed the crowd, and when he did so, it was in a quiet tone. When he performed on the piano, it was situated in a way so he would face away from the crowd, which Keaton clearly preferred. Kudos to that guy for facing his fears, it was a act of bravery in my opinion.
Along with a cellist, Henson played an hour long show showcasing his graceful voice and his knack for wonderful arrangements. I had never heard any music of his before the night and it came off as a Sufjan Stevens – Ryan Adams kind of vibe, only more precious. The crowd was loving every moment and perhaps sensing the artist’s uncomfortable nature on stage, did their best to encourage the singer. It was all very warm, which really, in today’s tumultuous times, is exactly what everyone needs.