by Olivia McGuin
It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that Beck is my favorite musician. I first discovered his music when I was in middle school through an introduction from my dad. After hearing a few tracks from Odelay, I knew I had to look through all his other releases.
One of the biggest things I appreciate about Beck is his lengthy discography. Despite him being one of my favorites, it actually took me years to listen to all 14 of his studio albums. While this may seem like a long time, I enjoyed each project so much that I wanted to give myself time to soak it all in before moving on. So, to no surprise, when he announced his new Ride Lonesome album earlier this year, I was thrilled. Hearing that this album would include outtakes from his favorite project of mine, Sea Change, and it was to be released on my birthday, made me feel like this album was meant for me.
Alongside the new record, Beck also announced a new tour for this fall. I immediately bought tickets for the Chicago date without any hesitation, making sure to buy a second ticket for my dad since he took me to my first Beck concert. The show took place at The Auditorium, a venue I’d never been to. The concert was beautiful and elegant. It was slow-paced and stood out compared to the typical rock performances he puts on.
While Beck mostly played tracks from his new album, he also made sure to play singles from his other releases, too, playing at least one song from 11 different albums. I’ll always appreciate an artist who continues to acknowledge their past. The set was lengthy but flew by because we had such an amazing time. He performed with his touring band and did a few a cappella tracks.
Beck is an amazing storyteller and provided multiple stories about his connection to Chicago. Despite this being my third time seeing him live, I still managed to hear 14 songs I hadn’t heard him perform live before. I don’t know many other artists with that much range. By the end of the night, I left with one regret: not getting tickets for Chicago night 2! Beck did, however, mention that he’s come to Chicago at least once for the past 4 years straight and plans to maintain that streak. I can’t wait to see him again, and he continues to remind me why I chose him as my favorite artist.
