Mick Flannery at Crystal Ballroom, 9/27/23

With 8 studio albums and almost 100 toured performances under his belt, it’s no surprise that Mick Flannery knows how to draw in his crowd. On a Wednesday night at the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville, people weren’t there to dance the night away. They were there for something better: to listen. As I gazed over the crowd, over 240 seated tables, I noted that I had never seen an audience so intently listening to what an artist was saying. Mick Flannery was there to tell us a story, and we were there to hear it.

The vibe at the Crystal Ballroom was very laid-back and serene. The entire concert was seated, and with the exception of a standing ovation that both the opener and main act received, it stayed that way. The stage was lit up in soft blue lighting, and the music was loud enough that you could sway to it, but not too loud that you couldn’t hear your own thoughts. The concert was hosted by Global Arts Live, a non-profit organization bringing music to people around the globe. We even heard from CEO Connie Chin about the inspiring work they do. 

The opener, Jeffrey Martin, tapped into the soulful ambiance that we get from Mick Flannery, setting the tone for the rest of the show. My favorite was adeptly titled “Coal Fire,” a song about Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. In the 1500s, Cortés burned his ships once he arrived in the New World so his men couldn’t try to escape. He also sang about the relatable experience of realizing that no matter how advanced AI gets, it doesn’t hold a candle to the natural world. His songs were all meaningful, each accompanied by a story. 

Mick Flannery’s entrance was not showy. He simply walked out and sat down at the piano. In his first two songs, he played the piano solo but once his band came out, the tone of the venue shifted entirely. The first song they played together was, unsurprisingly, the opening track from their new album, Goodtime Charlie, released on September 15th. The song, “Neon Tonight,” had lyrics reflecting the band’s internal monologue. The content of the track revolves around a band waiting to go onstage, both nervous and excited.

He played a few more songs and then went on to explain that his next song was a duet with Susan O’Neill called “Baby Talk.” Susan O’Neill is a singer and songwriter whom Mick Flannery toured with last year. Mick Flannery described many of his songs as either failed or successful romances. He clarified the matter by explaining that this one was about the former.

Continuing with the theme of duets, Flannery brought out Tianna Esperanza. Esperanza and Flannery wrote songs with each other during the pandemic and blessed the audience by playing a few of them. “Old Friend” was a soulful and romantic tune. For the first time in the night, people were pulling out their phones to record. Esperanza vocalized beautifully over my favorite line, “The question needs the answer it hasn’t gotten it yet.” Their second song had one of my favorite stories from the night. The track was called “Hunger” and described a romance during the Irish Potato Famine.

Apparently, the pandemic was very productive for Flannery, because he told us he wrote 13 more songs and alluded to the number being even higher. The 13 songs were inspired by something strange: chess. Mick Flannery loved to watch chess games on YouTube during the pandemic and wrote songs based on these matches. He would assign a chord to a piece and play that chord every time a piece moved. One of these songs was titled “Pride and Sorrow,” an allusion to Paul Morphy, one of the greatest chess players in the world who quit at the height of his career earning himself the nickname “the pride and sorrow of chess.” 

After three of these chess-inspired songs, the band returned to the stage and my favorite line from the whole night was sung. It was taken from a story told to Flannery by his grandfather. I could visualize Flannery’s old Irish grandpa sitting with him and saying, “I lit the small fire, Mom. I don’t know who lit the big one.” Flannery took the line metaphorically to write the song “Small Fire,” but he made sure to tell us the literal story it inspired. Long story short, his grandfather accidentally burned down a hay shed.

The last song of the set was by far the most energetic. To exit the stage and wish us good night, he played the title song from his newest album, “Goodtime Charlie.” Most of the set was lit by blue or purple lights, giving a very tranquil mood to the night, but this last song was lit up by red lights. His encore, which I had to miss, was welcomed by ear-shattering applause.

I am still in awe of how Mick Flannery was able to capture the crowd with his stories. I went to this concert on a whim, entering as a reporter who had only heard a few songs, but I left as a fan. Between chess, burning down haysheds, and a multitude of duets, I was enthralled by Flannery’s sheer musicianship and storytelling ability.