Tag Archives: David Ramirez

April 4, 2018 · 9:45 AM

Wild Child with The Wild Reeds

Friday, March 30, 2018

Port City Music Hall, Portland, Maine

This was such a fun, easy night. After the chaotic Glen Hansard show I attended at House of Blues in Boston the week before, I was really glad to have a night where everything was relaxed and the energy in the room was positive. Shouldn’t concerts be a good experience, after all?

I had a pretty sweet Friday afternoon–a massage, a chat with a friend who lives in Spain, and I attended a ceremony where some of my students were inducted into the National Technical Honors Society. I made it to Portland around 8:30 and grabbed a front row spot for the 9 PM show. I’d seen The Wild Reeds open for The Lone Bellow (one of my top favorite bands) back in November and really liked them. I’d never heard of Wild Child, but I listened to a few of their songs online and they were really good. I’m glad I made it to this show to check them out live.The Wild Reeds were great live a second time. Fronted by a trio of women with pipes, I like their sound and energy and that they share the lead. Kinsey Lee, Mackenzie Howe, and Sharon Silva share the duties of playing electric and acoustic guitars, harmonium, keyboard, and harmonica. I suspect they all contribute songs to the group, too. Nick Jones and Nick Phapiseth fill out their sound on drums and bass. Kinsey, Mackenzie, and Sharon have powerful voices in their own right and also blend effortlessly. Rolling Stone named them one of “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: March 2017.” I wouldn’t call them country, but genre is so fluid these days. Check out their 2015 NPR Tiny Desk Concert to get a better feel for The Wild Reeds, and definitely put them on your live show calendar.

I’d noticed by the end of The Wild Reeds’ set that I was mostly surrounded by teenagers up front. I think most of them were there to support Wild Child, and I wonder how I’d managed to be so far behind on knowing about them myself. Either way, I am so glad I stayed to check them out. Wild Child is a seven piece band from Austin and, in a word, they’re fun. Their energy is infectiously positive, and I was so taken with lead singer/violinist Kelsey Wilson’s stage presence. She leaned into the audience, made direct eye contact with fans, and smiled warmly. “Break Bones” seemed to be a crowd favorite. This is their mellower side, but their show was dynamic. I found out a few days later that Kelsey will be at Newport Folk Festival this summer playing with Glorietta–which is a supergroup if ever there was one–including two of my favorites, Noah Gundersenand David Ramirez. I will definitely be there to check them out this summer!

I had an awesome, unobstructed front row spot for the Wild Child set, and when I decided to head home a little early, I offered my spot to a teenager who was near me and knew all of the words to all of their songs but was craning her neck to see. Her eyes lit up when we swapped spots and she realized how much better her view was. It made my day to enhance her concert experience. It’s always good for your concert karma to help your neighbors have the best possible concert experience, too. Thanks to everyone who went to this show for making this a no-drama night!

xo,

bree

David Ramirez

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

One Longfellow Square, Portland, Maine

I saw David Ramirez for the first time a year and a half ago opening for Shakey Graves at the State Theatre in Portland. I was drawn to him immediately and enjoyed the sparseness of a man with a guitar juxtaposed with the urgency and passion he demonstrated with his powerful, rich voice. I sadly missed him a year ago at One Longfellow Square (I had tickets, but unfortunately didn’t make it to the show), so was eager to see him again. Colin went to that show a year ago and David played with a full band, which just isn’t really how I want to see him (or so I told myself, since I missed him). I was very excited to learn that I’d be seeing his 2016 Bootleg Tour–just David and a guitar–and each show would be recorded and audience members would get a link to a download of the show the next day. Right up my alley. Add that this was at teeny, intimate One Longfellow Square, and I was pumped.

I got to see my dear friend Fiona who was visiting from Minneapolis after school and then drove down to meet Colin at OLS. He snagged us great seats in the second row and we took in the living room scene assembled on stage–an area lamp, table, some books, and framed picture of Billy Murray–that gave us the feeling of really being in David Ramirez’s living room.

David Ramirez wowed with his incredibly powerful voice and honest lyrics. At some point in the show, it dawned on me that David is probably not the nicest guy in real life. There was a distracting woman sitting right behind us who responded loudly after each song. David would finish a song and she’d shout “yes!” (I forgot her other go-to responses) and then try to initiate a conversation with him in between songs. We get it, you KNOW him! (WOW!) It was annoying, and I totally chuckled when David realized it was his friend in the crowd who kept making it about her (which it sadly became, at times). Etiquette tip–don’t be that girl. No one came to see you perform if you’re not the one on stage. When I said that to Colin after the show, he smiled at me and said “doesn’t he say as much in his songs?” Good point, Colin. I was especially glad to hear “The Bad Days” and “Harder to Lie” in person.

David Ramirez

I will say, though, that even though David’s songs and stage banter mostly make him seem like a guy struggling to feed his healthy ego, he ended his set with “Find the Light,” which was a welcome surprise and an about face from his general tone. The song starts with some warm wishes–“I wish upon you peace/I wish upon you grace/I wish for less of what you want and more of what you need.” I’m so glad I went, even if David Ramirez is probably not someone I’d want to chat with or go have a beer with after the show. His voice and songs are layered and beautiful. And we’re all just learning how to be ourselves anyhow, and he seems to do that with his music, which is a healthy way to grow, I think.

I just realized that Spotify has David providing commentary about every song on his newest album Fables, which is right up my alley! Going to go listen now.

xo,

bree

Shakey Graves with David Ramirez

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

State Theatre, Portland, Maine

I saw Shakey Graves at the State Theatre a year and a half ago opening for The Devil Makes Three and was impressed. I knew Alejandro Rose-Garcia from his brief role on Friday Night Lights, and it’s great to see the buzz that’s grown around him that led to a sold out show last year at Port City Music Hall and a very full house of swooning fans last night when he headlined the State Theatre.

As I often do, I got to the State when doors opened and snagged a second row center spot for the show. I was very excited to see Austin’s David Ramirez open the show—98.9 WCLZ plays his song “The Bad Days,” which I love. I thought David was great—just a man, his powerful voice, honest lyrics, and an acoustic guitar. Right up my alley. I am listening to him right now.

David Ramirez

Shakey Graves took the stage and I was glad to see that people were enthusiastically there to support him and were singing along. The last time I saw him at the State, people didn’t seem to know him at all, so he’s come a long way quickly. He has a raspy, clear voice, plays guitar confidently, and brings a lot of energy with the kick drum. Check out “Roll the Bones,” which was the first Shakey Graves song I ever heard to get a sense of him if you don’t already know him. He was joined by a drummer and a guitarist for parts of the night, but Shakey can do it all on his own. He’s very comfortable in front of a crowd, too, and was at ease on stage and chatted with us warmly throughout the night. People were psyched to sing along with his best-known song, “Dearly Departed,” too. It was a fun show and I’ll definitely see him whenever he’s in town. Thanks to the State Theatre for hosting! Check out more pictures from the show below.

xo,

bree