It was a Monday night and, as I often do, I was checking out various music sites on the web. On this evening however, I continued to return to the page of Neko Case. I’ve been following Neko Case for the past twenty years, since the release of her album Fox Confessor Brings the Flood.
My fondness for Neko Case has never been singular. She is a multi-faceted, multi-talented, poet, musician, lyricist, producer, and most recently, author with the release of her memoir The Harder I Fight the More I Love You several months ago. Her intriguingly unique philosophy and perspective regarding the relationship and juxtaposition between (we) humans and nature and the vivid manner in which this is presented in song is truly astonishing.
In a few days Neko Case will be releasing the album Neon Gray Midnight Green, her first recording containing new material in seven years. In support of the album release, Neko Case is began a 38 stop North American tour on October 1, in Woodstock New York. My dilemma arose as the second and third stops were scheduled for DC on the 2nd and Philly on the 4th. The two plus hour trek in either direction on a workday simply felt ponderous. In a highly unusual move, I clicked one of her social media sites and couldn’t believe my eyes. Just one hour earlier there had been a post that read: “JUST ANNOUNCED” OCTOBER 3, 2025, NEKO CASE – THE RECHER – TOWSON, MARYLAND
On the day of the event, a mere eleven days after the show was announced, the line outside The Recher was nearly one hundred deep for a venue with a capacity of around six hundred. As I took my place in line, although not intentionally eves dropping, it was hard to not overhear the vast majority of conversations revolving around the impromptu show. Upon entering, I immediately noticed an unusual seating arrangement for The Recher, the front half of the house was seated and the back and bar areas remained for standing patrons.
By the time the opening band Des Demonas took the stage, The Recher was filled to capacity. Des Demonas, from the District of Columbia hit the stage in full force. The quartet headed by frontman and vocalist Jacky Cougar had a rhythmic fast paced drum laden beat. The genre was a mix of rock, punk, post punk and afrobeat and at times was reminiscent of early Clash. Lyrically, many of the songs were political and rebellious in nature and delivered by Cougar forcefully and directly. Throughout the set his vocal tone displayed his Kenyan heritage, so although the lyrics were often based upon disruption and dissent, there was also hope and unity. By the end the entire crowd was sold and would have loved to hear a few more songs had the set clock not run out.
After a brief twenty-minute intermission, Neko Case and her band took the stage to great applause. The band consisted of longtime friend, and collaborator Paul Rigby on electric guitar, Nora O’Connor, acoustic guitar, Adam Schatz, keyboard and saxophone, Kyle Crane on drums and percussion, and Sebastian Steinberg on bass guitar.
The set started with the song “Bracing for a Sunday,” a short yet poignant song that demonstrates Case’s poetic prowess, vocal delivery, and her ability to draw the audience in with precision.
Case delighted the crowd with the fun and somewhat poppy “People Gotta Lot Of Nerve” which displayed Case’s affinity for using nature (in this case elephants and killer whales) to describe human thoughts, actions, and behaviors. As the audience became further engaged the band seemed to loosen up and settle in as well. Case, armed with maracas and tambourine, smiled while she and the band sung the chorus “I’m a man- man- man, man-man-man eater.”
“Louise,” a track off the new Neon Gray Midnight Green album, was a slow and sultry song. It was almost eerie at times as Schatz’s keyboard provided the perfect backdrop for Case’s vocals and Crane’s drums added a suspenseful alluring touch.
Picking up her small, heavily worn tenor guitar, Neko Case performed “Little Gears.” It was endearing to see Case, Rigby and O’Conner play off of one another.
Immediately following “Little Gears,” Case stayed with the newest album release and played the song “Ragtime.” This was another slow paced song, but as the band entered into the interlude, Case slide to her right and began playing a Tom-Tom drum which had been parked next to her from the show’s onset. At first, she kept time with the band’s tempo, but then she busted out a sequence of drum rolls to the delight of the exuberant crowd. There was a steady mix of songs spanning Case’s twenty plus years throughout the performance, as well as the majority of work off her newest recording.
Catch the official video for “Oh, Shadowless” by Neko Case:
The set closed with the song “Wreck” another song off the new album. Neko Case and the band then left the stage to standing ovation only to return for a three-song encore consisting of “Wish I Was The Moon,” the perennial favorite, “Hold On Hold On,” and “At Last.” As the house lights came up, there was no rush to the exits. The entire audience seemed to stand in place, taking one more moment to absorb the performance.
I don’t have a bucket list, but if I did, Neko Case would not get checked off. To me the performance was similar to reading a deeply expressive poem filled with unique and uncharacteristic ideas and imagery. It must be read, or seen in this case, multiple times in order to fully grasp and understand its full weight and gravity.
The setlist included:
Bracing for a Sunday
People Got a Lotta Nerve
Louise
Deep Red Bells
Oh, Neglect
This Tornado Loves You
Little Gears
Ragtime
In California
Baby, I’m Not (A Werewolf)
Next Time You Say Forever
Destination
Oh Shadowless
That Teenage Feeling
Rusty Mountain
Magpie To The Morning
Neon Grey Midnight Green
Tomboy Gold
Wreck
Encore:
Wish I Was The Moon
Hold On Hold On
At Last
Check out photos of Neko Case and her band at The Recher on October 3rd. All photos copyright Cary Evan:
Nice work. Stage lighting is difficult to deal with and these are really nice and sharp.