Last Wednesday night Steven Fiore, local musician and published songwriter, hosted his “Valentine’s Day Hangover,” at the PURE Theatre, a very intimate black box theater in downtown Charleston. Before the show began Steven talked with us in the lobby, thanking us for coming and making small talk before the doors to the theater opened and we were allowed to take our seats. After a few minutes of last second preparations, he sat down, picked up his guitar, and started playing.
Fiore’s set lasted for about an hour and a half, during which he played songs of old and new, songs he wrote for a country legend, one inspired by his cat, another inspired by The Little Prince, and many more. In between each song he talked to the audience, telling us how many of the songs came to fruition and making us all feel as if we were best friends. “White and Blue”, and “Whatever You Need”, a couple of songs off of his upcoming album, were amazing to say the least. They were all honest and beautiful, making our hearts melt and putting smiles on our faces.
Fiore has a quirky sense of humor, which he let shine while assuring us that no, “Styrofoam Airplane” is not about drugs and telling us that the song “Light Gun” earned the band that he was previously a part of a place under the genre of “sci-fi nerd retro pop.” Showing a bit of diversity he played a ’50s inspired, Buddy Holly-esque song that had everyone bobbing their heads and tapping their feet. Next he played a personal favorite “Dangerous Thinking,” a song that tells the story of questioning the beliefs of family and community.
Before closing the show with “Waste Your Breath,” Fiore covered Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Upon hearing him say that he was about to play this particular song I got a bit nervous for him and began to inwardly shake my head and sigh, knowing that many people attempt to cover the song and most of them, after making a valiant effort, fail. However, Fiore’s rendition was outstanding. By the time he was done I felt a bit guilty for having questioned his ability–it was definitely one of the best covers of “Hallelujah” that I have ever heard.
The wonderful thing about Fiore’s music and performance style is the captivating simplicity. The music makes the performance; he doesn’t need any extravagance whatsoever, just his guitar, lyrics, and voice. Steven Fiore was without a doubt born to write music. If you ever get an opportunity to see him play live, take it.
