Singer-songwriter Trevor Hall stages intimate showcase concert in central New York

Singer-songwriter Trevor Hall made his way up to Central New York this weekend for a stop along his “A Night in the Village” Tour, to showcase new music and reminisce on some old memories that inspire his work.

Held in Homer, New York, it was the ninth show on Hall’s 13-stop tour around the eastern United States. The event was put on by Homer’s Center for the Arts in their 400-seat theater.

Photo: Liam Sheehan

Trevor Hall performing in Homer, New York.

“A Night in the Village” is unlike most of the typical concert tours, as it’s structured to be more like an interactive showcase rather than a full-blown concert. Hall promoted the tour as being an opportunity to share with him a “special night of storytelling and song,” he wrote on Facebook, and included a conversational Q&A with audience members at the end.

Although he’s an artist that is booked to play big-name music festivals this summer, including California Roots Music and Arts Festival and Summer Meltdown, Hall planned a circuit of very intimate shows that allowed him to share his personal stories and inspirations, and connect on a deeper level with his fans.

The event started at 8 p.m. with just Hall and his acoustic guitar up on stage, surrounded by prayer flags and candles, making it an intimate and personal setting. He began the night by telling stories about his adolescence, how he began making music, and how he went about his spiritual pursuits, which is the inspiration behind a lot of his musical works.

Throughout the evening Hall flicked through photos of important events in his life, taken by his wife Emory Hall, who is a professional photographer that travels alongside him. As Hall told stories of his past, his travels to India and the moments that became inspiration behind many of his songs, he would pause his stories to sing those songs with only his guitar and a kick drum pedal to accompany him.

This showcase-like performance was a pleasant mix of hearing Hall speak fondly about the significant people that he’s met along his life’s journey and listening to his warming voice and classically trained guitar skills fill the theater.

He played a diverse set of music from throughout his career, showcasing recently released songs from his newest four-part album “The Fruitful Darkness,” some fan-favorites from a few of his older albums, and an unheard song that’s set to be released on the fourth part of “The Fruitful Darkness.”

Some of the songs that he played include “Green Mountain State,” “Kabir,” “Wish Man,” “What I Know,” and “Unity.“ He talked fairly extensively about his song “You Can’t Rush Your Healing,” sharing a story about his personal struggle with the concept of time, and how his late grandmother inspired him to rethink his understanding of time rather than trying to fight it.

With about 30 minutes left, Hall opened up the floor to allow audience members to ask questions and engage in conversation with him. People around the room were ready to ask him about a variety of meaningful topics, with some inquiring about the meanings behind certain songs that he hadn’t talked about yet, and others asking questions about his path to spirituality and how he works that into his songwriting.

Hall closed out the night with a couple song requests, including one of his most popular songs, “The Lime Tree,” and a less-known song, “Still Water.” It was a special Sunday night at the Center for the Arts with an intimate event that validated the appreciation that many people have for Hall.