Nora O’Connor
Nora O’Connor, a frequent collaborator with Andrew Bird and established civic staple of Chicago’s indie architecture, will be playing a weekly residency through June at the Hideout beginning this week.
A Chicago native and current Evanston resident, O’Connor has traditionally worked as an in-demand collaborator and backup singer, accruing touring and recording credits with the likes of The Decemberists, Iron and Wine, The New Pornographers, Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case, Andrew Bird and as a member of the Chicago supergroup The Flat Five. What makes this residency notable is that while many readers will have heard O’Connor’s work, her solo performances (and releases) are much less common. They are not unheard of, and perhaps many tend to fly under the radar, but as of this year (according to her website), she has played two solo shows. That figure is likely higher (she, for example, has a history of playing socially distanced backyards during the pandemic), but a solo Nora O’Connor is still a rare sighting, making this four-show arrangement a particularly special run. Without speculating on “how” she may or may not prefer to work—she is more than qualified to command many rooms at her discretion.
O’Connor’s musical style fits cleanly into the easygoing, insurgent-country-influenced tapestry of indie folk rock native to Chicago and exemplified by many of her collaborators. Across her three solo albums, “Cerulean Blue” (1996), “Till the dawn” (2004) and “My Heart” (2022), O’Connor croons with a wise but sensitive timbre. Her voice is soft but emotional and authoritative, generally across a backdrop of buoyant string sections with animated, building guitar riffs underneath. The performances at the Hideout should be lively and intimate, conducted by an expert performer with a gorgeous voice and poetic dexterity.
The Hideout makes for a fitting backdrop for such a unique and important residency, with a history that is well known and has been established over the course of decades. It would be nice to see O’Connor more frequently across the dozens of venues that would, or certainly should, welcome her with open arms. Perhaps it is exactly the scarcity of O’Connor’s solo work which makes this such a special occasion. A career collaborator with decades of outstanding credits and achievements to her name, with little to no publicity as to any upcoming releases or shows (there is very sparing press indeed on this residency, including from O’Connor’s own camp). She is noted as a touring member of The Decemberists, though The Decemberists are not presently touring. She could appear with Andrew Bird at his annual holiday Gezelligheid concert, though this is a purely speculative. All this to say, this run at the Hideout is very likely to represent an isolated opportunity to see O’Connor in a solo setting.
Nora O’Connor will play four shows at the Hideout on June 9, June 16, June 23 and June 30, 1354 West Wabansia. Tickets can be purchased for $26.
