While I already wrote my top 15 albums of 2015 list for the year, the article that Ken wrote the other day got me thinking about the live experience and what really “got” me in 2015. Things that changed how I view music, creating it and feeling it. It is damn near impossible to do that in record form (though this year there were a few that did it for me) so in an effort to be as broad as possible in my “best” coverage, I decided to go ahead and take a stab at the best things I felt through music this year…in a live setting.
Dan Blakeslee at Tweed River Music Festival: It is hard to think that a human being has enough spirit in them to force away rain and clouds and bring on the sun, but that’s essentially just what happened this summer at the Tweed River Music Festival. Just before Blakeslee and crew took the stage a torrential downpour and whipping winds opened up on the field at Tweed. Folks ran to cover electronics and a few brave souls huddled close under the overhang of the stage. Their bravery was rewarded with an acoustic set from Blakeslee and his band until the rain let off. It was truly a magical moment and one where so many artists would be discovered. Dan made the very best and did the only thing he knew to do, just keep playing. One of the best.
Joe Fletcher at the Columbus Theatre (Providence, RI): Joe has a way about him. Whether he is playing alone in the corner of a bar or up on stage with a full band at a festival, he engages people in a way that is almost superhuman. When he looks off into the crowd it feels almost like he is locked right in on you, and when he asks you to sing along well you better damn well do it. This night at the Columbus was one of those nights. Joe tightroped on the very edge of the stage as he sung into the crowd, rather than at it. Add in a few duets with Ian Fitzgerald and a couple band numbers (with MorganEve Swain and Bryan Minto) and man! It was a real special one at a special venue amongst some real special folks.
I’m just going to go ahead and wrap the next four in a nice package back to back to back, since they happened at the same festival (though, different days).
Christopher Paul Stelling at Newport Folk Festival: Stelling ruined the possibility for any other artist on stage at Newport to have the most memorable set by getting down on one knee and proposing, but it was what came before that moment that really deserves a spot on this list. He feverously worked his way through his set with an unbridled passion and grit. The harmonies he and Julia Christgau unraveled on the stage and the heart and sweat that was poured on that hallowed ground, one of the highlights of all my Newport Folk experiences.
Margo Price at Newport Folk Festival: The voice. Literally, I could just start calling Margo “the voice” because after hearing this gal sing I am pretty sure nothing else I hear really compares or matters. Using the boys of J.P. Harris’s band further cemented that East Nashville is a community to aspire to, and still they played like they had been a band for a decade. Price has a swagger and confidence that is equally balanced by something a bit deeper, a reserved part of her that will only let you in so far and when she is singing out. The Museum stage turned into a honky tonk for an all too short set from this gal and her backing band of borrowed buddies. 2016 is going to be the year of Price I have a feeling…
Haunt the House at Newport Folk Festival: I cried, and I cried more than once. The trio form of Haunt the House with Bessie Bessin, Amato Zino and Will Houlihan creates some of the most beautiful and moving sounds I have ever heard in my life. The set at Newport was no exception. I am not sure words can really do it justice…it was just pure magic.
Aaron Lee Tasjan at Newport Folk Festival: ALT is one of my favorite songwriters, performers, and comedians. The guys on stage banter is far above any I have ever heard. Self deprecation and loathing was never funnier than with this guy. Then he plays guitar and you are like “holy shit, this dude is a crazy good guitarist”. Then he sings and you are like “man, this guy has got a great voice too.” And finally you listen and realize he is able to spin serious tales in a way that makes really important things that should be said more palatable and humorous. A 3 minute interlude during one of his tunes with a story was a highlight and by the time he unplugged his acoustic the crowd was still hanging on each word, begging for more.
David Rawlings Machine at The Wilbur: If you need to hear more about this night then hit the review HERE. This was the best night of music I think I have ever taken in in my life.
The Meadows Brothers at Livestock (Old Bethpage Restoration): The atmosphere can be half the battle when catching a show and the one at Livestock was one that surely did not disappoint. Inside of an old barn shaped like a compass with four outward facing points and GIANT ceilings helped with the acoustic. Brothers Ian and Dustin are always on point. I have never seen these guys perform even less that perfectly. Harmonies: check. Bluesy harp solo: check. Incredible pickin: check. Everything just worked for the fellas in this setting and they slayed it.
Lula Wiles at The Meeting House Tour (Concord, MA) In 2014 I feel in love with the trio of songstresses and the harmonies and tales they spun. But 2015 had me in awe of how well each of them could adapt and play the part of the lead or supporting role and change on a dime if need be. The Meeting House Tour show was the pinnacle of a great performance for the gals and I think the first time I heard Mali take the lead on her tune “Mama”. The girls throw it back and forth to each other with ease and where I original saw beautiful and delicate harmonies I was witnessing the three ladies perform with a more feverous passion and drive. Don’t get me wrong, the beauty is still there but there is a badassness that also blends into the live set of the trio.
The Milk Carton Kids at Berklee Performance Center: Nearly as good as the duo of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan was the opening act, Kacy & Clayton. It set the stage for a truly brilliant performance from a band I have grown to love so much. They played old favorites, some of the best tunes from the new record, and even ended the encore with a Pink Floyd cover. The harmonies, the witty banter, and Kenneth’s guitar playing, everything is just so fantastic whenever these guys play. The fact that it was a seated crowd, listening intently, and we were two rows from the stage also helped.