Live music review: Haunting acoustic sets by Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin at Parish
Ty Segall and fellow songwriting partner Mikal Cronin shared an intimate acoustic bill on Sunday, April 6 at Austin East Side venue Parish, and the results were a haunting series of tunes to a seated crowd. A masterclass in both recording and touring, the duo pulled from various records that showed them presenting a side of them that we don’t hear that often. There was no electric guitar mania to be found, but something different was brought to the table by the two living indie rock overlords, and the Austin stop showed a realm of musical honesty and longtime friendship.
Segall doesn’t release music under his solo moniker in as prolifically as he once did, but the records still come in a steady, albeit at a slower pace. With a gauntlet of garage rock classics in his ever-growing discography, the different angles of Segall’s sound are boundaryless, and Sunday showed a more mellow but interactive side of the DIY raconteur’s personality. Cronin is primarily known for being the bass player in Segall’s touring band, a position held in several forms of the Orange County-born and raised musician’s touring outfit.
Besides being a staple in the Segallverse, Cronin has a storied music career of his own. “I haven’t played by myself in six years,” Cronin admitted to the silent, respectful audience. When the multi-faceted player took the stage, only a small table, a desk and lamp for lyrics sheets, and a nylon string guitar came with him, an expected trope for the dialed-back evening ahead. In the attic-like setting, a seated Cronin chipped through a series of ditties that required ruminative focus. Cronin also addressed his longtime partnership with the headliner, stating a working relationship that has lasted for the better part of 22 years running.
Segall took the stage armed with an acoustic guitar in tow, and despite a lack of a rhythm section, the energy of his regular stage appearances stayed intact. A musician known for his catalog that stays true to itself while still leaving room for plenty of experimentation, the Segall solo incarnation proves that he doesn’t need a band to bring an engaging spectacle. On Melted classic cut “Finger,” Segall asked the crowd to “Be his drummer” for the selection, prompting the seated attendees to engage in a clap-stomp cadence as the California legend tore through the normally fuzzed-out ripper with passionate ease. “Thank you for being my drummer!” he bellowed after its conclusion.
Despite the absence of mind-boggling reverberation, the limits of acoustic guitar were stretched to thunderous percussive levels, managing an aggressive attack to deliver faithful renditions of both new compositions and all the fan favorites. With this being the second date on the cross-country solo tour, Segall also detailed the pair’s journey to Austin, which included an excursion through a snowstorm from the tour’s kickoff show in New Mexico. As a seasoned road warrior, no journey is too daunting. Segall took numerous opportunities to thank opener Cronin throughout, marking a longtime collaborative history of dozens of records filling fans’ shelves throughout their celebrated careers.
The 90-minute set saw Segall strumming away to an awestruck audience, not even singing along to Segall as he took time to dial up the energy to showcase his guitar skills in a raw, performative fashion. “12 more songs!” a fan requested. “Careful what you wish for; I might play 12 more,” Segall responded with appreciative humor. Freedom’s Goblin single “My Lady’s On Fire” acted as the final curtain call, allowing a last hurrah and an eventual sing-along for the weekend crowd.
Ty Segall continues down the road until the end of April. The tour’s next date is tomorrow in Brooklyn. Tickets can be found via the Ty Segall website.
All photos by Troy Gonzales
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