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October 5, 2015 · 7:37 AM

Kathy Griffin

Thursday, August 20, 2015

State Theatre, Portland, Maine

I won tickets from Maine Today to see one of my favorite comedians, the brutally honest Kathy Griffin at the State Theatre. I asked my sweetie to join me, and we chuckled as we took our seats at the packed State Theatre as we realized he was decidedly not the typical Kathy fan. It was a brutally hot night, and after an A/V glitch that started Kathy’s introduction video at the end, she joked about how high end the State Theatre was with their quality A/V department and swanky air conditioning. The fans the State Theatre crew put on stage essentially surrounded her and blew her hair sideways and, as she laughed at herself, I appreciated how down to earth she seems.

Kathy Griffin from a distance

I’d seen Kathy all by my lonesome in Boston years ago, and it was great to have her in Maine. She made an effort to tell some jokes about Maine alongside her usual celebrity run in stories. She’s a walking gossip column, except her stories are firsthand and it seems like she’s as star struck by celebrities as we are entertained by hearing about them. Kathy’s humor is definitely not suitable for young people, but she keeps it real and seems like an approachable, normal (if eccentric) person. She dished about meeting Lady Gaga, for example, who gifted Kathy eggs from her own chickens, and described her comical firsthand experiences meeting many other celebrities, too.

We celebrated her now 95-year-old mother, Maggie, who, when Kathy took her out for birthday dinner in the late afternoon on Hollywood Boulevard, lamented she didn’t get to see any celebrities. No wonder Kathy doesn’t take herself too seriously.

There were very few straight men in the crowd, but Kathy gave them special attention and made sure to call for their attention specifically when she thought one of her stories would be about someone they might have heard of on ESPN. I laughed after the show when Jeff asked me who the Kardashians were and what a Real Housewife is. I am totally fine with him not knowing a thing about either! We still laughed together the bulk of the show. Always a treat, Kathy!

xo,

bree

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October 3, 2015 · 1:30 PM

Tricky Britches at the Gardiner Fire Relief Benefit Concert

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Gardiner Waterfront, Gardiner, Maine

Gardiner, Maine—the sweet little town I proudly call home—suffered a major fire on July 16, 2015. Four historical buildings on Water Street (our main drag downtown) were destroyed along with a few businesses and all the possessions of a dozen tenants. The Gardiner Fire Department responded swiftly and decisively, and with the help of many neighboring fire departments, was able to contain the fire.

Aerial views of the fire from Jason Daughtery via WMTW’s Facebook page

Gardiner’s Water Street

Although there was, amazingly, no loss of human life, a cat was reported lost in the fire. As a proud cat lady, my heart was heavy in the days that followed, not just because so many people had lost all of their cherished possessions, but also because Jolene’s cat, Carol Ann, was gone. I cried some tears over it. To my amazement, a few weeks later, I saw this post on Facebook:

Jolene and Carol Ann–reunited! Courtesy of Gardiner Police Department’s Facebook Page

A kind soul in downtown Gardiner spotted a cat wandering around the rubble of the gutted buildings lost in the fire in the weeks that followed. The cat was taken to Kennebec Valley Humane Society, and Carol Ann, hereby dubbed “The Miracle Kitty!,” was found and reunited with her overjoyed mom, Jolene. My heart grew three sizes. I called At Home Veterinary Hospital and covered the cost of Carol Ann’s vet bill so she could be cleared and go home to her mom.

So many people and businesses have graciously supported the Gardiner fire relief fund after this devastating fire. Clare Marron at Monkitree hosted a silent auction that raised over $5,000 in one weekend alone. The Boys & Girls Club of Gardiner hosted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser. There were many others too. It’s still not too late to donate to the fire relief fund hosted by the United Way of Kennebec Valley. I noticed just last week that Gardiner’s Hannaford was collecting donations for the fund, too.

Gardiner Main Street, with help from generous local sponsors, threw a “Thank You” party for the firefighters who responded to the fire. The Gardiner Rotary Club grilled dinner for all of the firefighters and their guests and then opened up the remains for the rest of us and raised an additional $1,500. Johnson Hall hosted Portland bluegrass band, Tricky Britches, as part of their free summer Waterfront Concert Series that night, and the band provided great entertainment at this wonderful community event. WMTW Channel 8 was on hand to cover the event.

Gardiner Main Street Director Patrick Wright alongside Tricky Britches

Mayor Thom Harnett thanking local fire fighters

Johnson Hall Director Mike Miclon with Tricky Britches

I was among a handful of people honored during intermission by Thom Harnett, Gardiner’s extraordinary mayor, with a Gardiner Heart & Soul Award for efforts related to the fire relief. My small contribution to helping Gardiner’s “Miracle Kitty” being recognized publicly, and totally unnecessarily, just goes to show what a dear community Gardiner is. I was genuinely overjoyed that night to be cheered as a local supporter of my sweet town. If you are looking for a community that will welcome, nurture, support, and celebrate you, too, Gardiner’s the place! More photos below!

xo,

bree

A beautiful night on the Gardiner Waterfront

A wholly undeserved, but very welcome recognition from my sweet town!

Surely one of Gardiner’s cutest little ones

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September 12, 2015 · 5:35 PM

Max Garcia Conover

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Frontier, Brunswick, Maine

I got home from a long and relatively taxing trip to see U2 with just moments to spare before Max’s show started at Frontier. I love seeing shows at Frontier—it’s an intimate theater space, and it encourages performers to interact with the audience. It often feels like seeing a show in someone’s living room. After a challenging few days full of jam-packed travel and a disappointing U2 show, I was relieved and nearly teary, to get home to see Max play. I’ve seen Max perform easily a dozen times, but this was his best show. He spent the bulk of the summer on a national tour with Ghost of Paul Revere, and he’d clearly hit his stride. His older songs sounded stronger than ever, his banter was comfortable and jokes well timed, and his new songs revealed an innovative, powerful one-man band sound with a kick drum and tambourine. I snuggled up to Sophie in the front row for the duration and requested “You’re The Farthest I Go,” which Sophie graciously joined Max to sing unplugged from the floor. I hadn’t heard them sing together for a long while, and even without practicing, they sounded beautiful.

Max Garcia Conover

Max and Sophie, by request

Max sent me home with a recording of ten of his new songs, and I have listened to them again and again. I love “Motorhome”—Max’s tribute to his and Sophie’s now deceased motorhome and their life together on the road. “If I’m staring out at the road/It’s probably her that I’m missing/Our dear departed motorhome.” There’s also a different energy, a darkness even, in a couple of the new songs. “My Neighbor Joe” is heavy. There’s a lot to digest there. He wrote another song that makes you think twice—“As Much A Rising Sun As A Setting One Pt. 2” while on a break during a show in northern Maine. The folks there were having a bad week and some of that energy is processed in the song. It’s interesting to hear how Max’s style evolves over time. It’s always a pleasure to see him play live. It’s like being home. Thanks, Max! (More pictures below).

xo,

bree

P.S.—You can support Max’s effort to write a new song a week here!

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August 21, 2015 · 9:03 PM

U2

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Madison Square Garden, New York City

U2 is an incredibly significant part of popular culture, perhaps even our Greek chorus–the conscience of the people. Their 40-year career making music together is nothing short of stunning. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. are phenomenal musicians and their song catalog is incredible. They’ve written songs to educate and move people, and their philanthropic work has been extraordinary and impactful.

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing U2 live seven times over the course of 15 years. I got to see their Elevation, Vertigo, and 360 tours—even waiting outside in line in Montreal for a solid eight or nine hours in the hot sun to get inside the inner circle of their last tour. Getting to see any U2 show is monumental. I’ve joked that going to see them is like going to worship in the “Church of Bono.” He’s preachy live—educating the audience, asking for their support for causes important to him, and encouraging us to be more open minded and take an active role in our global community. Getting to hear “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “One,” “Pride” and “Where the Streets Have No Name” live is spellbinding. You feel like you’re part of a significant, dare I say it, sacred, experience. It’s really something. So my expectations of a U2 live show are obviously high, based on my past experiences. And this show at Madison Square Garden, my first there, just didn’t reach the bar. It’s sort of shocking to write a less than stellar review of a U2 show, but if I’m being honest, this night fell flat for me.

2011–Kim and I are still smiling after waiting at least a solid eight hours for U2 in Montreal! Inner circle!

My dear friend and U2 super fan Kim and I made it an adventure and spent the afternoon standing outside Madison Square Garden hoping to meet the band. She and I both know folks in Montreal and Boston who happened to be at the right place at the right time and got to meet members of the band, so we had our fingers crossed and our hearts set on it. I even know someone who Bono pulled on stage for a solid ten minutes at one of the Boston shows, so hopes were high. After seeing all of the guys drive into MSG, we hoped they’d come out to greet us, but had no luck. Kim looked back at the set lists from the tour and saw that they’d been playing some songs they hadn’t played live in decades, but that didn’t happen for us. Jimmy Fallon was the surprise guest the night before our show, and Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen were guests on nights after us, but there was no special guest at our show. I think I would have been less disappointed if I hadn’t known so much about the other nights before going into the show.U2 always sounds great, which they did, but their set was slow moving and not full of the hits I’d come to expect to hear live. I suspect that maybe Bono was tired that night, because he didn’t talk to us as much as usual, either. Their stage design was impressive with a very long catwalk stage, which was neat and gave people in GA a lot more opportunity to be close to the band at some point during the show. Their set also included an LED cage that ran the length of most of the stage, and even though the graphics they projected on it were cool and the fact they climbed up into it to play was neat, I didn’t like being even that much farther away from the band I’d paid so much and come so far to see live.

So pumped for U2 at MSG!!

Madison Square Garden

We’d hoped that spotting U2’s head of security meant they’d be coming out to greet fans. No such luck.

“Sunday Bloody Sunday”

Overall, this show just didn’t cut the mustard for me and that is incredibly uncomfortable to say, but it’s true. I still love U2 and appreciate them tremendously and hope they were just having an off night, which everyone is surely entitled to.

xo,

bree

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August 19, 2015 · 11:48 PM

Johnson Hall Season Reveal

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Johnson Hall, Gardiner, Maine

I love my sweet little town, and I’m over the moon about the caliber of shows coming this season to Johnson Hall, our beautiful local theater. Celebrating its 150^th year, Johnson Hall Director Mike Miclon has outdone himself with the talent he’s booked to come play 40 shows in teeny Gardiner. Johnson Hall hosted a “season reveal” party early in July, and Mike gave me a shout out because (per my suggestion) one of my favorite live bands is coming on Friday, September 25. Boston’s The Ballroom Thieves* is the real deal, and the fact that they’re coming to Gardiner is a big deal, folks. The Thieves just impressed at The Newport Folk Festival, and getting to see them in an intimate venue like Johnson Hall will soon be a thing of the past. Don’t miss it! You can buy tickets for any (and all!) of the upcoming shows at Johnson Hall here.

Johnson Hall Executive Director, Mike Miclon

Mike also sent all of us home with a sampler CD of all of the musical groups coming this season, which was a brilliant idea and a generous gift. After a few listens, I had a strong sense of each musical group and confidently built my concert calendar—being sure to save the dates for acts like Don Campbell (November 7), David Wilcox (December 4), and Rose Cousins (March 18).

Johnson Hall is a major part of Gardiner’s downtown revival, and I hope you’ll come visit us for dinner and a show soon. Gardiner is a mere 45 minutes from Portland, and absolutely worth the drive.

Great job Mike—I’m thrilled about this season!

xo,

bree

*In case you need some convincing, check out one of my most effusive posts about The Ballroom Thieves.

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August 17, 2015 · 11:44 AM

The Weepies with Greg Tannen

Friday, June 26, 2015

The Wilbur Theatre, Boston

I’ve had The Weepies come up on Pandora stations for years and their sweet, sentimental songs are up my alley. I haven’t listened to them more purposefully than that, so when my steadfast concert friend, Colin, mentioned he had an extra ticket to go see them in Boston, I decided to embrace the freedom of summer vacation and join him. It turned out that this was a magical day, because the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled that same sex marriage would be legal throughout the country, and my Facebook feed blew up with joy and rainbow flag profile pictures. I wrote “LOVE WINS!” on my car’s rear windshield to celebrate and soared to Portland to fetch Colin. We had the most unusually easy drive into Boston, which, as if jinxed, ended abruptly less than a block from the garage where Colin had pre-paid for our parking spot when the road was closed moments before we tried to turn in. An hour later, we had circled the block, gotten into our spot, grabbed some burritos at Boloco, and made our way to the Wilbur Theatre with plenty of time to get a good spot up front. Colin bought general admission tickets, but the folks at the Wilbur informed us that we had GA section 1 tickets (not specified at purchase), and were corralled into literally a pen far enough away from the stage that I was not impressed. So, if you are ever buying tickets to a concert at the Wilbur and want to be up front, you want GA section 2 tickets. I hope that tidbit helps you someday.

LOVE WINS!!

Here was our pen–GA section 1

Greg Tannen and Amanda Brown took the stage to open the show. Greg’s brother Steve is half of The Weepies, and he talked about how great it was to be touring with family. Amanda stole the set and her voice really impressed. Deb and Steve joined them on stage for “Vegas Baby,” which the two brothers wrote together at least a decade earlier.

Greg Tannen and his band, including Amanda Brown, joined by The Weepies for “Vegas Baby”

The Weepies are married singer-songwriters Deb Talan and Steve Tannen. People in the crowd were mostly really engaged and friendly. Deb and Steve were so sweet together. Almost two months later (oops!) and that’s what sticks out to me most clearly about the night. Deb is the more focused in the couple. There was an instrument mix up at some point and Deb was clearly right and Steve was confused and he stopped to joke with us that he’d messed up and she was right, so he complimented her boots and said “Baby, you rock!” That they love each other a lot was what shone most brightly that night. They gave a shout out to Matt Smith in audience who booked Steve a show in Boston in 2001 that Deb attended. They started making music together almost immediately after that night and now are married with three kids and a handful of albums together.

The Weepies

The Weepies joined by Greg Tannen and Amanda Brown on “Vegas Baby”

I felt a bit like I was in Deb and Steve’s living room all night. It was the kind of show I love—filled with warmth and friendly banter meant to engage the audience. I chuckled when Deb looked down and told us they’d actually brought their carpet from their living room so they’d feel more at home on tour. Steve bragged about his wonderful wife and announced that after a fight with stage 3 breast cancer, Deb is now cancer free. The crowd erupted. Soon after, Deb talked about the recording process and putting together a touring band. She said that being sick helped push her to pursue her dreams, and she asked the drummer to join them and introduced him as Peter Thomas from Elvis Costello’s band. She said she never would have thought to ask a living legend like him to play with them, but cancer made her brave and he said yes to joining the band. They played “Never Let You Down” from their 2015 Sirens album after that warm introduction.

Steve kept the laughs coming all night and told us that their kids were on tour, too, but were wiped out from excitement after they learned that the park across the street from The Wilbur (Boston Public Gardens) was the very same one Robert McCloskey wrote about in Make Way for Ducklings. He joked that his kids freaked out like they were at Madonna’s house or something.

Even though I was pretty unfamiliar with their music, I’m glad I decided to go to the show. I was happy to hear “World Spins Madly On” live. The Weepies were solidly entertaining and made me feel really welcome.

xo,

bree

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August 8, 2015 · 4:27 PM

Milo Greene with Hey Marseilles

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Port City Music Hall, Portland, Maine

Have you ever loved a band, listened to their album a hundred times, but then invited friends to come see them live with you and the band totally fell flat and you felt responsible? This was that.

I fell in love with LA’s Milo Greene when they opened for The Civil Wars at Berklee Performance Arts Center in November of 2011. I bought their three-song sampler for $5 and listened to it easily a hundred times waiting for their first full-length album. I saw them in Boston at Brighton Music Hall in October of 2012 (playing with Lucius), and again touring for their folky, harmonic self-titled album in March of 2013 at Empire in Portland. I re-read my post from 2012 at Brighton Music Hall where I wrote “their strength is in their live show.” Milo Greene didn’t bring it to Port City Music Hall that night.

Milo Greene at Brighton Music Hall. October 2012.

Milo Greene at Brighton Music Hall in Boston. October 2012.

Milo Greene at Empire in Portland, Maine. March 2013.

I have always described Milo Greene to first-timers as an upbeat indie group without a lead singer. They pass instruments back and forth. Their harmonies are stunning and their songs catchy and relatable. Their new album, Control, is a different thing altogether. Released in early 2015, it is much more pop and percussive. It’s a pretty big departure, and not in a direction I was excited about, but I still thought their live show would impress. It didn’t.

The only wholly bright spot of the night was show opener Hey Marseilles from Seattle. They have a folky pop sound with great harmonies and a string section. Matt Bishop, their lead singer, was engaging and friendly. He joked that their band name is hard to say but easy to Google search. I wasn’t familiar with their music before the show, but I enjoyed the bulk of it (especially “Heart Beats”) and have listened more since the show. I’d definitely see them again.

Seattle’s Hey Marseilles

Milo Greene took the stage and thanked us for waiting three years for them to come back to town. That might have been just about the only thing anyone in the band said for the majority of the show. They played in the near dark, song after song. No song introductions, no checking in with the audience. It felt like we might as well not have been there. Much later in their set, Robbie said that their new album is the real them (that was the gist, anyhow). Marlana piped up that she thought it might take a little convincing, but he clearly disagreed. I wondered how united the group is about their new musical direction.

LA’s Milo Greene

This beautiful shot of Milo Greene is courtesy of Caroline Carrigan

Milo Greene sped through their Control-heavy set. On their website they’re quoted as saying that their “first album was a massive wall of harmonies.” It is a glorious sound, if you ask me, and the crowd’s reaction led me to think I’m not the only one who misses the old stuff. I was happy to hear a handful of their earlier songs like “1957,” “What’s The Matter,” and “Autumn Tree.” They covered Phil Collins’ “Take Me Home,” which I thought was fantastic. The band rushed through their songs and hurried off stage and I was surprised by how early I got home after a show on a school night. If they came back to town, I’d sadly pass, which is kind of heartbreaking.

xo,

bree

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July 31, 2015 · 10:24 PM

Jonny Lang and The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Maine State Pier, Portland, Maine

When a publicist I correspond with regularly emailed to invite me to this show, I nearly passed. I’m a folk girl with a real love for lyrics, so seeing two blues guitarists (even though they are my age and already have decades of accolades behind them), seemed a little out of my element. I’d actually seen Jonny Lang back in 1997 when I was a college freshman and he was probably 16 years old. My most vivid memory of that night is that we were up front by the stage for his opening set, but then there was a powerful surge in the crowd when the headliner, Blues Traveler, took the stage. It was the closest to a genuine trampling I’d experience at a show for a solid decade. I mentioned the invite to my sweetie and he insisted we go to the show—and even volunteered to write about it for whatbreesees. It was a real treat to have a photo pass for the show, because, and I want to give readers fair warning here—seeing a show at the Maine State Pier from the GA section is a nightmare. After I took my photos for the first few songs of both sets right at the foot of the stage and went back to join Jeff in GA, I could barely see the stage and it was kind of pointless to be there. We even ended up leaving the show early and grabbed dinner nearby at Flatbread. I was unhappily surprised when I could see the stage better from our table at Flatbread than I could from the GA section on the Pier. So, if you care about actually having a sight line on the band you pay to see at the Pier, either spring for one of those incredibly expensive seated areas up front or get there early and snag a spot along the barricade in the front row of GA so you might actually see the show. Hopefully that’s a helpful vent about the venue in case you have plans to go there. Both bands were impressive and I wish we’d been able to actually see them to enjoy their talent live.

xo,

bree

Jonny Lang

Here’s Jeff’s brief recap of what you missed if you skipped this show, and more photos follow:

This is my first of hopefully many guest blogger show recaps for whatbreesees.com. I had three big takeaways from my concert experience with Johnny Lang and The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band at the Maine State Pier. Number one—these musicians are excellent at what they do. The confidence they show through their music is unmistakable. I personally enjoyed Johnny Lang’s performance and his music much more than his counterpart. His brand of blues is something I find accessible and at the same time exciting to listen to. Number two—Kenny Wayne Shepherd is not the singer of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. OK, I knew this one. But my sweetie did not. (Editor’s note: He’s right, I didn’t.) Kenny Wayne Shepherd is an amazing guitarist, but when I hear his hit “Blue On Black” on the radio, I picture one man singing and playing the guitar at the same time, which isn’t the case. Number three—The Maine State Pier is not my first choice of concert venues. I understand the concept of wanting to host a concert on the water, close to the excitement of the Old Port, but the sightlines are not great (it is a long pier) and I did not feel especially comfortable relaxing and listening. I wanted to lie on a blanket on the grass and listen, or at least be able to see the stage. Maybe if I had been closer to the stage it would have been more engaging, but standing room feels essentially like you are standing outside the venue looking in. (Editor’s note: That’s exactly what it felt like! Well said!) I envied the crew of the ferry parked next to the venue looking down from their perch.

Until next time,

Jeff

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

It turns out that Noah Hunt is the lead singer of The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. News to me!

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July 5, 2015 · 12:10 PM

Brandi Carlile and Anderson East

Friday, May 22, 2015

State Theatre, Portland, Maine

I’ve let myself take a month or so off during the transition to summer vacation to recharge, but I’ve seen a handful of shows recently, so I decided I’d better start writing!

I got to see the impeccable Brandi Carlile over Memorial Day weekend at the State Theatre. She sold out the State in just two days. She’s on my top five live acts list for sure, and she and the twins (Tim and Phil Hanseroth) always bring all they have and put on a fantastic show. I most recently got to see them live during last fall’s phenomenal “Pin Drop Tour” at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where they played to a packed house without even a single microphone—it was stunning.

I drove to the show with a gaggle of girlfriends who have become my constant companions in Brandi show-going, and I’ll always remember that it was on that car ride to Portland for this particular show that I learned one of my dear friends is pregnant! What great news to start a great night! I separated from the group and skipped dinner so I could snag a good spot in line and ran into my friends Kay and Kate. We got a great spot standing second row center and Marian and my most steadfast concert friend, Colin, joined us, too. I was standing there when a familiar looking woman asked if I was Bree and reminded me that her name was Heather and we’d met at a phenomenal Brandi show (one of the best shows I’ve ever been to) standing in exactly the same spot back in the fall of 2012. Another happy show omen!

Southern R&B artist Anderson East and his and band took the stage. I was surprised at the size of the group—he brought a small horn section and a pianist on top of the usual suspects. I’d heard one of his songs, “Say Anything” featuring Jill Andrews previously of theeverybodyfields on Grey’s Anatomy and liked it. His raspy R&B sound was solid, but without knowing his music well, the songs all sounded quite the same. He made a smart move (as a mostly unknown show opener) and played a couple of covers—“Knock on Wood” and “Tupelo Honey”—to show off his vocal talent and give the crowd something to sing along to. 98.9 WCLZ is currently playing his song “Satisfy Me”.

Anderson East

This was the first night of Brandi’s Firewatcher’s Daughter tour, and the crowd was revved up. I’m sure the band appreciated our good energy. We did get to hear a handful of older songs throughout the night since this show was to support their new album, but I was a little surprised that they played their best-known song, “The Story,” second. I love, love, love “The Eye.” The girls and I got to hear it for the first time last fall in Portsmouth, and it’s stunning. Brandi said that “The Eye” is “what we’re all about as a band” because she and the twins sing all together in harmony—without a lead singer. As I’m writing this post I keep calling it “their” show and “their” song because Brandi is not just Brandi. I first saw her with Kim open for Ray LaMontagne at Berklee Performance Arts Center in Boston back in 2005 and Tim and Phil Hanseroth (“The Twins”) were right by her side, even back at the beginning. They are a musical team in every way and saying you’re going to see a Brandi Carlile show is really just the tip of the iceberg.

Brandi Carlile with “The Twins,” Tim and Phil Hanseroth

A little girl in the front row was wearing a birthday cake hat and Brandi pulled her up on stage. We sang Happy Birthday to Tiernan (who was celebrating her 8^th birthday in the best possible way!) and Brandi asked if there was a song she really wanted to hear. Tiernan requested “Keep Your Heart Young” and stayed right up there with the band and sang it with Brandi into a shared microphone. It was a precious moment and quite the birthday present!

Happy 8th Birthday, Tiernan!

Brandi took another couple of requests and “Turpentine” came up. She split up into three sections and taught us our sing along parts and we put it all together. It’s one of my favorite songs to hear live. I was glad to hear “That Year,” too, and Brandi played it solo for us. Brandi, Tim, and Phil unplugged and came to the very edge of the stage (right above us!) and sang “Beginning to Feel the Years,” completely unplugged. It was amazing, and I was so impressed that the sold out State Theatre was silent throughout the song. They really have an impressively strong command of a crowd!

“Beginning to Feel the Years” unplugged

Brandi took to the piano and played a beautiful version of Hozier’s “Work Song” that she said she sings for her daughter Evangeline. Family has become an important theme for Brandi and the Twins and she often talks about it at their shows. She introduced “I Belong to You” saying that there’s an intensity in loving your family so much and knowing that you could lose them. “Wherever Is Your Heart,” which is another standout song on The Firewatcher’s Daughter, continues the theme and is another of my favorites. They closed with “Dreams,” but came back for two separate encores during which Brandi graciously thanked us for bearing with them on the first night of the tour while they worked all of the kinks out. They covered Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” and The Avett Brothers’ “Murder in the City” to end the night.

Seeing Brandi and the Twins is always a phenomenal experience. Their songs are heartfelt and compelling, their harmonies stellar, and the power of their voices is kind of out of this world. I always leave their shows blown away, grateful, and truly sad to go. Until next time!

xo,

bree

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June 11, 2015 · 12:38 PM

The Ballroom Thieves with Tall Heights and the Maine Youth Rock Orchestra

Friday, April 24, 2015

Empire, Portland, Maine

*I think nearly seven weeks to process the strange events of this night is long enough. I wrote the bulk of this post just days after the show, but was so weirded out by the behavior of a woman in the crowd that I lost focus and never went back to finish the article. Since this show, The Ballroom Thieves have released a new Audiotree session AND have been invited to play their first Newport Folk Festival set! I am thrilled for them. The long story short of this article is that they are phenomenal live and when you go to a concert, you should be nice to the people around you.*

This was the best/worst show I’ve seen in a long while and I am still processing the events of the evening. I’ll explain. My sweetie and I planned our April vacation getaway around going to this show. I love Boston’s The Ballroom Thieves and have seen them a half dozen times and even wrote a preview piece for this show and a review of their debut album, A Wolf in the Doorway, which I rarely do. The last time I saw them play was also with the Maine Youth Rock Orchestra, which is incredible. I’m a sucker for a string section, so getting to see The Thieves play with an orchestra is a real treat.

Jeff and I wrapped up our adventure in the Kennebunks with an afternoon in Portland, including a trip to the Love Locks fence and a delicious dinner at El Rayo before the show. We stood outside in line at Empire just before doors at 9PM, met up with my concert friend Colin outside, and made our way front and center to the stage so we could be close. It was not very crowded in the front when Tall Heights took the stage. My friend Marian joined us, and then Kate, too. It’s rare for me to be at a show with such a posse, but the Thieves are just that good.

Sadly, there was a loud woman standing right behind me for the bulk of Tall Heights’ set talking with her friends about how “great” the band was and how she’d “pick up the CD after the show.” I was so happy they were happy, but they were also five feet from the performers and one foot from my ear having this ongoing conversation at full volume. *This leads me to concert etiquette tip #1 of the night—if you really must have a (long, loud) conversation, please move away from the stage where people who are probably bigger fans than you are trying to listen.* Unfortunately, I was distracted for most of Tall Heights’ set, but I always appreciate their lovely harmonies, and I enjoyed that Eric Jones (manager of The Ballroom Thieves and Darlingside) played drums with them for a lot of their set. Tim Harrington (guitar) joked that although we were there to celebrate the release of The Ballroom Thieves’ new album, their exciting debut of a Tall Heights tank top surely was more important. He dubbed the night “Tanksgiving.” They wrapped their set with “Spirit Cold,” with the delightful Maine Youth Rock Orchestra as featured performers.

Tall Heights’ Paul Wright on cello

Tall Heights’ Tim Harrington on guitar

Eric Jones on percussion

I won’t hold it against you if you skip this next paragraph, but HOLY COW, I was NOT expecting this to happen at a folk rock show:

This is when my night got really interesting. The gist is that the woman who was so loud and chatty right behind me during Tall Heights physically pushed me out of the way and stood between my sweetie and me at the stage. I was stunned. We were at a folk show, after all, and she was definitely in her thirties. She told me I’d been “taking up the room of three people” during the opening act and she intended to stand in front of me for the rest of the night. I’m not sure how she ended up moving away from me, but then she started poking her elbows and knees into Jeff to try to finagle a spot in front of him. SERIOUSLY? She told him that he was “rude” because he’s tall and blocked her view. Have you been to Empire? There’s plenty of room next to the stage on the floor and she could have stood anywhere. She kept attacking us verbally and Jeff turned around and used his dad voice and told her “I don’t want to hear another word from you for the rest of the night.” *This leads me to concert etiquette tip #2 of the night—if you want to stand in front of me at a show, you need to get there before me, or you need to ask nicely. You cannot physically shove people at a concert. That’s assault.* After Jeff’s stern warning, she moved and didn’t come back. People around us that we didn’t even know approached us to talk about her odd and unacceptable behavior. It was incredibly strange. Maine is a small place, because not even three days later, I saw a picture of this woman show up on my Facebook news feed because we have a mutual friend and they were tagged in a photo together. I sent my friend a message and she assures me that this woman seems nice and normal and must have just been having a bad night and is not the wretched woman I interacted with.

It took a bunch of songs for me to shake that strange experience, but I finally got my head in the game and The Ballroom Thieves rocked our socks, as they always do. They are so solid live—with passionate, urgent vocals, relatable songwriting, strong musicianship, and steady engagement with the crowd. They’re the real deal and I sincerely hope you’ll check them out. I didn’t take notes during the show, but I remember that they played “Coward’s Son”—a favorite of mine, which Martin dedicated to his parents who were at the show. They played “Archers” (which dazzles) and “Lantern” with the awesome Maine Youth Rock Orchestra, Calin wowed on lead on “Bury Me Smiling,” and they wrapped their set with a very high energy “Wolf.” I remember they played a sweet new song to end the night that was fantastic, too. The Thieves are again and again keeping their spot high on my list of favorite live acts. I hope to most of you at their next show. (See show photos below!)

xo,

bree