I went to the Lawn at White River State Park last night with my girl NF and some friends to see Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs. If you don't think you are familiar with Ray's music, you may realize otherwise if you've seen this:
It's a catchy tune, but not necessarily a favorite of mine. There was an opening act, Brandi Carlile, who was alright for background noise, but really didn't grab my attention. Maybe some other day. At one point though, we did have to clarify for JG that this was not Belinda Carlisle of the '80's band The Go-Go's, and that it was The Go-Go's, not The Bangles.
As an outdoor venue, The Lawn is actually much nicer than I had originally expected. I've seen two shows there, but the first one was free, so choosing a place to sit wasn't really an option. This time, we sat at the top of the hill, just to the right of VIP land. They give you little folding chairs (for free!) so spreading out on a blanket or standing the entire show wasn't necessary. The weather was fabulous. It was a beautiful evening to sit back and listen to some Ray, whose often Blues-y sound occasionally brings more than one tear to my eye.
We had a fairly clear view of the stage. During most of the show, Ray and members of the band were highlighted by spotlights, each of which was a different color. When Ray sang solo, a single blue spotlight was on him. He spend the entire time at the far right of the stage, instead of the center, unlike any other lead man I've ever seen.
If there was one thing I could have asked to make the night better, it would have been that the show end with "Let It Be Me." Not only did the show not end with it, it wasn't even in the set list. A bummer, but at least NF played it for me on the way home to make me feel better, or worse. Ray's music can contribute to many a mood. I highly recommend it, regardless of your favorite genre.
No comments:
Post a Comment