True, heartfelt music must be “captured, not manipulated,” according to Dallas Green, lead singer of the band City and Colour. The name alludes to Green’s name—a city followed by a color—and represents his idea of creating purposeful and poetic music, which can appeal to the common folk.

Since his separation from Alexisonfire back in 2011, Green’s songwriting career flourished through what started off as a small side project. His dedication to what he calls “organic” songwriting may be a reason for his rising popularity in the music industry. Green’s four album releases since 2005 and recent appearances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival are a testimony to his talent.

After a long weekend at Coachella, City and Colour came to perform for its San Diego fans at Humphreys Concerts By the Bay. The intimate setting at Humphreys was more than ideal for the melodic folk music it brought to stage along with Green’s humorous mood throughout the night. The 1,400 seat venue appeared near full by the time of the awaited performance featuring not only Green, but supporting instrumentalists Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs) on bass, Dante Schwebel (Hacienda) on guitar, Doug MacGregor (Constantines) on drums and Matt Kelly on pedal steel guitar and keys. The vocal accompaniments of Lawrence and Schwebel added charisma to the performance as the lively MacGregor and Kelly did what they do best.

City and Colour will continue to tour supporting its 2013 album “The Hurry and the Harm” with the accompaniment of its latest band members. Although the Coachella festival has surely brought much attention to City and Colour, its rise to fame is still no mystery when listening to Green’s sophisticated use of lyrics and the relatability he offers his listeners.

Also read: Two distinct musical worlds collide

Josselyn Molina, staff writer