Dustin O'Halloran Live @ the Tilles Center

American pianist Dustin O'Halloran has worked with Sara Lov for Devics, had two scores featured on the soundtrack to Marie Antoinette, and has also worked on the score for the movie Boy of Pigs, which premiered at the Zurich Film Festival in September. Even though he was american born, he currently resides somewhere near Bologna, Italy, after discovering the "love of his life, a tall, dark, piano." A couple of nights ago I saw him live, at the Tilles Center. He played a mix of songs from his two, only albums, entitled Piano Solos Vol. 1, and Piano Solos Vol. 2. Creative, right? Well, even though almost all of his songs are called Opus something er other, his music is beyond words. He does not sing, as you may have guessed from his album titles, all of his works are piano solos. I have never heard someone create such an intense feeling in the air, as Dustin did. He is even better live, for after buying his second album and listening to it, I soon realized that, though the album is fantastic, when he performs live it's as if you are feeling every note sink into your soul. Oh, and it also puts you to sleep. When I was at the concert, I heard a man snoring a few chairs away from me. It's not that it's bad that the music puts you to sleep, but it drains out every ounce of energy left in your body. Never listen to it in the car. 

He walked on stage, a thin, lanky 37 year-old, and happily greeted the audience. After announcing the names of the first two songs he was playing, he hunched over in deep concentration, and began to play. 

Most piano teachers would tell you to keep a straight posture while performing, not to bend your back so far that it seemed your nose was going to touch the piano keys, like Dustin. As a child, O'Halloran had practiced piano, but stopped for a decade. When he decided to start up an old hobby and create music with Sara Lov, he quickly became an accomplished pianist, famous for his dreamy, atmospheric melodies and raw, graceful tunes. 

Halfway through the concert, after another opus, he faced the audience and stated "Now this is the exciting part of the show." and proceeded to take off his jacket and throw it on an amp. The audience whooped, and O'Halloran bent back down and began another melody. After a few more songs, he said goodbye and left the stage. I was fortunate enough after the concert to receive a signed copy of his second album, Piano Solos Vol. 2, and meet him in person. 

You can download Dustin's latest album here, or if you want to see him live, check out some of his upcoming tour dates below:

11/08 (sat) Denver, CO Temple Buell Theatre
11/09 (sun) Santa Fe, NM Lensic Theatre
11/11 (tue) Mesa, AZ Ikeda Theatre
11/12 (wed) Tucson, AZ Centennial Hall
11/13 (thu) San Diego, CA Symphony Hall
11/15 (sat) Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre
11/22 (sat) Los Angeles, CA Benefit for Ari Bhod Foundation for preservation of Tibetan Culture