Even after a long weekend at Lollapalooza and a threat of Thunderstorms, it didn’t stop people from gathering at Millennium Park for their free summer concert series. This time around they featured Canadian folk musician, Bahamas.

“We are a perfect band for a Monday,” Afie Jurvanen, the man behind the music, shared with the audience. And honestly, that was the perfect way to describe their set. The soothing sound of their voices and the chill, soft sound of the instruments was the perfect soundtrack for people sipping their wine, people plopping down on their blankets in the lawn and people swaying back and forth from song to song.

The band back in February released their latest album, “Earthtones.” They trickled in songs from this album throughout their set along with their older ones. As he went song to song, you couldn’t always believe that the same person was singing. His deep voice transformed every different song to fit the mood and emotion of it. One song it felt like he was just a good ol’ alternative artist with tunes like “Bad Boys Need Love Too,” but then he hits us with “No Wrong” and it sounds like he is from the South and is a country singer. As “Any Place” starts to play it sounds like he’s a crooner from the early 1900s as he ditches the guitar and swings his microphone around.

No matter what song they sang or what style it was, they managed to impress the audience every time. He somehow has it all. Not only does he make you swoon over his voice, Jurvanen has magical fingers. When he picks the strings of his guitar it is mind blowing how he gets such a beautiful sound out. Every time Jurvanen finished an intense guitar solo, people would applaud immediately. He could pick away with his eyes closed ad his body reacting to every string to the point it felt like freestyle. It felt like it was in the moment since you could tell his whole being is poured into the song.

However, he wasn’t the only one that was impressive. Like him his whole band oozed raw, pure and natural talent. When his backup singer opened her mouth, it sounded like an angel singing from heaven. She could hit all the high notes and hold a note so gracefully while also managing not to crack at all. His other guitarist could pluck away just like him. As she strummed away, she filled the air with melodic, majestic sounds that made the audience feel nothing but overjoyed.

The whole band vibed off of each other’s energy and talent that they just grooved the whole time. You would see closed eyes, torsos grooving, head nods and passion for what they sing. You could tell the music comes from deep within and totally consumes them. Every note they belted out, you could tell that it held all the emotion intended.

Bahamas knew rain was in the schedule, so they did their best to keep the show moving and to avoid the rain as long as possible.They did my favorite thing and skipped the encore, so they could continueto zoom on through. Despite this in mind, they managed to make it through 16 songs with some chit chat in between with no sign of raindrops just cloudy skies.

“Nothing I like better than having a good day at work and being in bed by 9:30 p.m.,” Jurvanen shared before they dived into the last song. This also made everyone else happy. They got to enjoy their Monday night but still back in bed at a decent time for work the next day. Once he hit the last note, the audience jumped to their feet and gave him a standing ovation. It was a free concert in the park, but he managed to keep everyone entertained and wanting to stay from beginning to end. The next free concert in Millennium Park features Ne-Hi and Whitney and is this Sunday, August 12, at 6:30 p.m.

SET LIST:

Hockey Teeth
No Expectations
No Wrong
Opening Act (The Shooby Dooby Song)
Caught Me Thinkin
Stronger Than That
I Had it All
No Depression
Bad Boys Need Love Too
Snow Plow
Show Me Naomi
Lost in the Light
All the Time
Way With Words
I Got You Babe
Any Place