An evening with Mason Jennings

Mason Jennings, a contemporary folk artist from Minneapolis, Minn., gave a solo performance Feb. 10 in the Center for Faith and Life. Although Jennings and his acoustic guitar played for an audience of 771 people, the room had a quiet, intimate feel. His stage presence was reserved but remained warm on the CFL’s large stage.

Sponsored by SAC Concerts and SAC Spotlight, Jennings said he was glad to have the low-key performance.

“This quiet space is nice,” Jennings said. “I’ve been playing a lot of rock shows lately.”

Throughout the performance, Jennings alternated between singing and playing harmonica, but it was not just his musical talents that captivated the audience. His casual, relaxed persona roped the crowd in for over an hour.

The folk qualities were especially evident in this solo performance because Jennings’ voice has a way of sounding like both singing and speaking all at once. This distinct vocal quality allows the lyrics to speak listeners.

Jennings writes his own music and displayed a certain passion for the lyrics and meanings behind each song. Before playing a song titled “The Field,” Jennings described his conflicting feelings about the war in Iraq, his inspiration for the song. He also surprised the audience by playing a new song not yet released on an album.

After Jennings left the stage, the audience stood and insisted on an encore. He came back out and played three more songs to close the evening. During the last song, Jennings stumbled over the lyrics a bit.

“This is like the worst time to forget the words,” Jennings said.

The audience laughed, enjoying a chance to see that nobody’s perfect. No one held it against him, and the crowd clapped and cheered as he humbly left the stage once again. Overall, it was a relaxing evening with Mason Jennings.