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Sun Kil Moon

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Sun Kil Moon Tickets

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About

SUN KIL MOON IN CONCERT:

Mark Kozelek's world-weary vocals set the perfect tone for the hushed, introspective folk of Sun Kil Moon. Taking the stage with an acoustic guitar and a minimal backing band, Kozelek wowed ticket buyers at the band's 2013 shows with sparse, beautiful renditions of narrative songs like "Carissa" and "I Can't Live Without My Mother's Love." With their sixth studio album Benji out in early 2014, Kozelek and co. once again hit the road for a string of intimate tour dates in support of the release.

BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:

Following the 2001 dissolution of indie rock band Red House Painters, frontman and singer/songwriter Mark Kozelek began releasing music as Sun Kil Moon, a nod to the great Korean boxer of the same name. The band's 2003 debut album Ghosts of the Great Highway featured several songs about deceased boxers, effectively establishing the narrative-based tone of the project with tracks like "Salvador Sanchez" and "Duk Koo Kim." Kozelek's third album as Sun Kil Moon, 2008's April, was another critical success, featuring guest vocals from indie giants Will Oldham and Ben Gibbard.  In 2014, Kozelek released the project's sixth album, a collection of wise, confessional songs that critics have hailed as his best work to date.

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Reviews

Rating: 3.6 out of 5 based on 27 reviews
  • Rating: 2 out of 5

    No what I expected

    by ctetux on 10/13/15Theatre of Living Arts - Philadelphia

    I like his acoustic stuff a lot. He did not do any acoustic stuff and in fact barely played any guitar at all. The low point of the night was when he sang Bring in the Clowns. I am sorry, with a portfolio of his own material that is extensive, there is no need to play standards like that. As expected, he got a little upset with anyone who was caught talking loudly in the crowd. Would never go to see him again unless it was solo

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    by SwiftJon on 10/12/15Town Hall - New York

    Mark continues to evolve, and his stage presence was gripping tonight. Good balance of new and less new material. 2 and 1/2 hours of performance!

  • Rating: 2 out of 5

    by ItsKOB on 10/12/15Town Hall - New York

    Lets see.. could it be that there was no set list and Mark was picking the songs seemingly at Whim? Could it be his outright refusal to play his "hit" songs and mock the audience for requesting them? Could it be that he started songs over again, when not happy with how they started? Or could it be my lest favorite part of the evening, a duet with his friend "suzy", an untrained singer/layperson of "I got you babe". I was really looking forward to this show, for months, and really disappointed. I expected more. He should have cut down on the wine (nice touch, chugging from a bottle on stage) and worked harder on a set list for those of us who paid to see him play. The covers were nice - although I was hoping for a Modest Mouse cover to be honest

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Musical Genius

    by Micanthal1 on 10/12/15Town Hall - New York

    Mark is a musical genius. His direction of the songs and how his art is crafted and played for the audience was like something I have never seen. His guiding of his band and concern for how each song was being played was refreshing. We basically watched an artist create on stage. I will see him again when he comes back to NY and I can not wait.

  • Rating: 1 out of 5

    by JIM2005 on 10/12/15Town Hall - New York

    Didn't enjoy the show. They mostly played songs from the last couple of albums so listen to them before you buy tickets. The songs don't have a melody and the lyrics are like a diary of Mark's day with a focus on who's died recently. He doesn't really sing, it's more like folk-rap. Lot of people left the show early. Wish I had.

  • Rating: 1 out of 5

    Disappointed

    by Xsjxisbak on 10/12/15Town Hall - New York

    Show was supposed to start at 8:00. Band shows up at 8:40. At a bar venue that would be fine, expected. But not a seated venue. Opened with a couple classics (send in the clowns) which I liked but then it was downhill. Mumbling, shouting, always a step behind. Thought he was drunk the way he slurred his words. I'm still a fan of Kozelek.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Sun Kil Moon was great.

    by Greggisp on 9/21/14Port City Music Hall - Portland

    Mark Kozelek is one the country's most important artistic voices and having him visit Portland was a major event. Great to see him working through part the esthetic he's developed over two decades.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5

    What a crazy show

    by Mintie on 9/21/14Port City Music Hall - Portland

    Mark was very good. His banter made the show even better. He gave me sixty bucks on stage and didn't ask for it back.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Sun Kil Moon puts on an incredible show

    by MaineTom on 9/19/14Port City Music Hall - Portland

    What an awesome show. I was actually a little nervous because I had read about how cranky Mark Kozelek can be. Sure enough he came out and immediately complained about how cold it was and then scolded someone offstage to "close that fucking door." But it was quickly apparent that this is his schtick and it's not entirely serious. He and the band were incredible, playing his intricate arrangements flawlessly. His live performing is raw, powerful and inspirational. His stories between songs are hilarious but he's definitely not PC so I could see some being offended. I love that he demands attention from the audience with lots of posters at the entrance saying we must turn off our phones and no pictures or filming. The crowd complied for the most part except on one quiet song where for some reason people started talking so he stopped the song and asked "did a sign just go on over my head that says TALK?" Even that was taken in good humor by the crowd and he appreciated that. Seeing the crowd "got it" he really played hard and long, and went for two and half hours. He even played Modest Mouse's "Tiny Cities" after a request from the audience....he had to teach the band how to play it for a couple minutes and then they delivered a great version of it. Best show I've seen in a long time.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5

    Sun Kil Moon: Mark Kozelek's irascible attitude

    by SKMfan on 7/31/14Town Hall - New York

    First off, let me say I LOVE Mark's work and have since the mid 90's when Red House Painters first made the scene. The Sun Kil Moon material picks up where RHP left off, and I could see signs of Mark going in a more 'country' 'americana' direction even before the end of that first incarnation. There are beautiful gems to be found in the SKM catalogue, and I recommend people take some time with the material to discover them. The evening proceeded as I thought it might...a fairly spare set up with Mark on his classical guitar, a drummer, and electric guitarist and a keyboard player. My biggest gripe about the sound was that Mark had TOO much reverb on his voice. I'm sure that's the way he wanted it, but my feeling is that extra 'gloss' clouded his preternaturally beautiful vocals. The reverb rendered his voice overly echo-y, and a lot of what he was singing was lost, which is a damn shame, because you really do wanna hear what he's saying. The band was tight, and his guitar work was exceptional, and despite the reverb gloss, the over-all feeling created by the evening was that of serene calm. My girlfriend and I both had smiles on our face all concert long owing to how special the nights music felt. But then there is also Mark's in-between stories and asides to contend with. Mark s a bit of a raconteur, and his stories usually have a humorous bent to them, but at moments I thought he was a little HARSH...like when he beefed out crowd members for DARING to call out song titles that they really wanted to hear. Part of his charm? Maybe Mark's irascible attitude makes him who he is, but do his adoring fans really need to reprimanded for yelling out song titles the just love? This little tantrums weren't enough to erase the over-all magical feeling the evening held for me, and maybe the show wouldn't have been the same without it...just food for thought Mark! Having said all of that, I would certainly go to see him again.

  • Rating: 3 out of 5

    Cranky Kozelek

    by HGLEWIS on 7/28/14Town Hall - New York

    Mark Kozelek is a crabby old man, which makes it all part of his appeal. In between songs, his banter consists of apologizing how fat he's gotten, criticizing fans for yelling out song requests, pointing out how some guy in the front row reminds him of his agent because both are Jewish-looking, and saying how it makes him sad to see an empty front row seat. He starts and stops his band at times, telling them they are going too fast and need to slow the tempo down, or they messed up the beginning of the song and need to start over. The set list didn't contain the best of the Sun Kil Moon library, consisting of mostly the last 2 albums or so, which I believe is some of the weakest of Kozelek's songwriting. At times the songs seemed tight and well-rehearsed and sounded wonderful; at other times Kozelek's voice drowned out the rest of the band and I started feeling sleepy.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Sun Kil Moon - excellent show

    by Jinnaaaa on 7/28/14Town Hall - New York

    Really great. Mark et al killed. Only issue was sometimes the levels of the reverb - couldn't understand what he was saying during songs.

  • Rating: 1 out of 5

    FIRE YOUR SOUNDMAN

    by PeanutButterParty on 7/27/14Town Hall - New York

    $50 is a lot of money and 2 hours is a long time to hear a singer-songwriter stuck so deep in a reverb well that you can't make out a single lyric. SUN KIL MOON is not a band that people come to dance to (this is obviously known because the performances are in seated theaters), audiences are moved by the poetry and lyrical narratives -- so if we can't make out a single lyric for 2 hours, that is a huge fail.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5

    Overall very good

    by Mcore on 7/27/14Town Hall - New York

    Great playlist. Mark Kozalek is hilarious between songs. Other musicians terrific. Only issue was the sound. Not sure if the problem was Town Hall acoustics or too much reverb on Mark's voice. In the end, didn't matter though, because I'd love these songs no matter what the sound quality.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    by Anonymous on 7/25/14Sixth & I Historic Synagogue - Washington

    Wonderful venue. Kozelek and Sun Kil Moon's music sounded incredible. Tremendous show.

  • Rating: 3 out of 5

    Music beautiful, lead singer grumpy!

    by juliejule on 7/25/14Sixth & I Historic Synagogue - Washington

    It is an amazing venue, the synagogue. Mark wasn't digging it, airing issues with his sound man, mistreating him publicly. The mike was messed up, but the songs they played are beautiful, and I would consider seeing them again. Not a happy performer in general. Gripes a lot, seemingly dissatisfied with being on the road? Not sure. Hope he enjoys Newport!

  • Rating: 1 out of 5

    by Anonymous on 7/25/14Sixth & I Historic Synagogue - Washington

    His guitar was out of time the whole time and I couldn't understand his mumbles.