James Mercer of the Shins came to the 987FM Hollywood Tower Penthouse this past Tuesday, Feb. 7 for a very intimate private performance; and let me tell you, it was amazing. All eyes were on Mercer as he warmed our hearts with his endearing and gentle vocals. Aside from playing new songs such as “Simple Song,” off The Shins’ new album Port of Morrow set for a March 20th release, he also played some old favorites.
The tight crowd was all smiles and lost in nostalgia when “New Slang” took it’s turn (check out the live video clip, here). It was truly a blissful acoustic performance that had all the ladies swooning. Although, we could have done without the background vocals of some chick singing-along. Sorry, but with such a soft acoustic performance such as this one—the last thing I want to hear is some lamer conflict with Mercer’s vocals. Just like the movie theaters: silence is golden.
Although it was cold and windy out, Mercer managed to warm us up with his sweet charm. The man is an amazing vocalist and songwriter. If you were at this private performance, you know exactly what I’m talking about. And if you weren’t there, check out the photo gallery below to get a better feel of the experience.
The Shins are set to play this year’s Coachella(s), followed by some later tour dates. You can view their upcoming shows, here.
Words: Sandra Burciaga
Photography: Debi Del Grande
Click through the photo gallery for more photos of James Mercer!
