The Delines Perform Slowburning Country-soul Vingettes for Sold-out Crowd at Portland, OR’s Polaris Hall (SHOW REVIEW)

Since forming around 2012 with something of an all-star lineup, The Delines have been making waves with a steady output of music that blends the literary voice of accomplished author Willy Vlautin with the soulful nuance of singer Amy Boone. With their roster solidified by Cory Gray on keys and trumpet, Sean Oldham holding down the drums, and the ever-dapper Freddy Trujillo on bass, The Delines have been on something of a prolific streak in the last few years as they have released a steady clip of excellent records. The latest is The Set Up, and on Friday, April 10th, they played a hometown album release show for a sold-out crowd at Portland, Oregon’s Polaris Hall. Considering that the band tours mostly in the UK and Europe these days, the performance felt like a treat. 

Following a solo set from troubadour Forest VanTuyl, who easily won over the crowd with his Western trail folk and the occasional cowboy poem, The Delines hit the stage and quietly eased into the kind of set that was made for listening to every word. The decision to make it a seated show only added to the supremely chilled-out vibe, akin to watching a jazz act in some smoky lounge. Boone was more or less the star of the show as she led the band through songs mostly focused on the plights of downtrodden women and the occasional man living on the edge. These characters are a long-running muse for Vlautin, who gives each Delines tune a protagonist and a narrative arc of sorts. You could hear this in the soulful opener “Little Earle,” “Maureen’s Gone Missing” with Gray laying down a 70s pop groove, and the mellow country-soul of “Don’t Miss Your Bus Lorraine.” Boone took things in a slightly different direction with the reflective, beautifully meandering, and moody “Girl Floating Down a River,” while “That Old Haunted Place” felt like a slow-burning ode to Portland’s checkered past, and “Nancy and the Pensacola Pimp” boiled with tension below the surface. 

Compared to Vlautin’s alt-country band Richmond Fontaine, the songs he pens for The Delines feel even more literary-inspired and character-driven. Boone’s talent is in her ability to capture the feel and tone of these lyrical vignettes with her gorgeous vocals, playing the role of the character and narrator simultaneously. You could hear this on songs like “Left Hook Like Frazier” with its buoyant and funky guitar and keys, the almost jazzy “The Meter Keeps Ticking,” and the standout tune “The Imperial.” Several of these new tunes were saved for last, including a version of “Walking with his Sleeves down” that featured Vlautin and Boone dueting on vocals while Trujillo laid into a haunting harmonica solo. By the time the band closed out with the harmony-laden “Dilaudid Diane,” it felt like they had brought the audience on an entrancing cinematic journey.         

Onstage in Portland, The Delines wielded a quiet power. Their songs of beaten-down, broken people who persevere felt especially resonant in this moment, when the class divide and affordability crisis continue to grow. The new songs sounded just as strong as the handful of older favorites sprinkled in, each of which felt like a mini Willy Vlautin novel manifested as a song. This combination of lyrical richness and subtle yet top-notch musicianship captivated the audience, who clearly felt lucky to take in a rare Stateside performance from this underrated band.