Last Night in Cleveland: The Swell Season

In last year’s hit indie film Once, stars Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová gradually work their way toward making beautiful music together. They eventually get there, in the form of “Falling Slowly,” which netted them an Academy Award. Performing live as the Swell Season, the pair is already at that magical point. Hansard (who fronts the terrific Irish band the Frames) and Irglová have been on the road for quite some time. So last night’s show at the Allen Theatre came off incredibly tight and loaded with charm and intimacy. Armed with only an acoustic guitar (the same one he wields throughout Once), Hansard launched into a blistering version of the Frames’ “Say It To Me Now” that set the tone for the rest of the concert ...