Concert Review: Robyn Hitchcock and Eugene Mirman at the Cedar Cultural Center

Robyn Hitchcock at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, on May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mark C. Taylor)

Poster for Robyn Hitchcock and Eugene Mirman at the Cedar Cultural Center, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mark C. Taylor)

Robyn signed the sleeve of my 45. (Photo by Mark C. Taylor)

On May 2nd, I saw Robyn Hitchcock and Eugene Mirman at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. I’ve seen Robyn live many times, but I missed him when he came through town in 2023, so I’m glad to have caught him this time around. Eugene Mirman opened the show with his stand-up. I’ve seen Eugene open for Robyn before, and he’s a pretty funny fellow. Robyn brought Eugene back at the end of the show, and I really enjoyed seeing how much Robyn laughed at Eugene. 

Robyn Hitchcock is an artist quite beyond description. His songs are beautiful, catchy, melodic, alarming, charming, disarming, and otherworldly. His concert at the Cedar was a solo show, featuring Robyn on guitar, and piano on a few songs. My wife and I got to the Cedar later than we wanted to, just as Eugene was starting his set, but we happily discovered that there were empty seats in the front row. Thanks for not wanting to draw attention to yourselves, Minnesotans!  

Robyn opened the show with “Balloon Man,” one of his most famous songs from the 1980’s. I didn’t write down the songs that Robyn played, because I foolishly assumed they’d make it online, but I haven’t been able to find a setlist for this concert. Oh well. So it goes.  

The songs that I recall were a mixture of Hitchcock favorites like “I’m Only You,” and “I Often Dream of Trains,” and songs like “I Saw Nick Drake” that are performed less frequently. As always, solo shows highlight Hitchcock’s excellent guitar playing. Speaking of Robyn’s guitar playing, his most recent album is 2023’s Life After Infinity, his first all-instrumental album.  

At the piano, Robyn played “The Man Who Invented Himself,” side one, track one from his first solo album, 1981’s Black Snake Diamond Role. I don’t know if the song was meant to be autobiographical, but the lyrics seem apropos of Hitchcock: “He came bursting out of nowhere like a spear into the sky/and he cast his light on everything it was like he’d never die...he’s the fella, the man who invented himself.”  

Robyn also played “Somewhere Apart” on the piano, one of his most John Lennon-esque songs, which is one of my favorites. I requested “Strawberries Dress,” a lovely song from 2013’s Love from London. When I told Robyn after the show that I’d requested that song, he apologized for the tuning not quite sounding right, but it sounded great to me.  

It was fun to see Robyn in concert again, and after the show he signed autographs. I was dressed for the occasion, with a flowery shirt and a neck scarf. Robyn complimented my outfit, and I told him I was trying to dress like it was 1967—the title of Robyn’s new memoir, coming out in July.  

In an Instagram post from yesterday, Robyn wrote: “The longer I do it, the more I love playing live. I’m grateful for the chance to be my best self, night after night, in front of people who genuinely enjoy what I do. My recent US excursion was a slice of bliss.” It was for us too, Robyn.