Grand Hallway frontman Tomo Nakayama’s warm, whimsical ditties about honeybees “Blessed Be, Honeybee”, walking in the rain “Raindrops (Matsuri)” and girls with golden hair “Elinor With The Golden Hair (Tsukimi)” would be lovely even if he performed them all on his own, but it’s the symphonic accompaniment that keep his light, airy songs from hitching a ride on his feathery tenor and floating away altogether. Shenandoah Davis’ bright, operatic warble is a perfect complement to Nakayama’s reedy, tremulous tenor, but it’s the instrumentals — provided by Davis, Nakayama and six other well-seasoned musicians who employ (at different intervals) two violins, accordion, pedal steel, multiple guitars, keyboard, bass and percussion—that lend the songs on Promenade, the band’s second full-length, much of their dramatic weight. Best of all, Seattle Rock Orchestra will accompany the band at this show, which is sure to amplify Grand Hallway’s sonic impact a hundredfold. With the Maldives. All ages.

Thu., Sept. 17, 8 p.m., 2009