Tag Archives: Portland Maine

May 2, 2016 · 9:56 PM

Darlingside with Haroula Rose

Friday, April 1, 2016

Port City Music Hall, Portland, Maine

What an extraordinary April 1st! My dear friend gave birth to a beautiful (and surely brilliant) baby girl, I got to hold baby sheep and goats after school at a friend’s farm, and I finally got to see Darlingside again after an all-too-long break! (The last Darlingside show I caught was in late 2014, when they shared the stage with the wonderfully talented Maine Youth Rock Orchestra).

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I got to hold baby farm animals!

Darlingside is one of my favorite bands to see live. Think indie rock meets orchestra. “Grandpa” Don, the eldest band member (I learned during band introductions), emailed me to invite me to Darlingside’s show at One Longfellow Square back in 2012, and they stole my heart. Multi instrumentalists Don Mitchell, Auyon Mukharji, Harris Paseltiner, and Dave Senft are magnificently talented. Their perfect harmonies show how close they are and how long they’ve been making music together. They really sing with one voice, which is a real feat.

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From left to right, Darlingside is Don Mitchell, Dave Senft, Auyon Mukharji, and Harris Paseltiner

IMG_3312IMG_3318Colin and I grabbed our favorite spot up front at Port City Music HallPort City Music Hall for the show, where we met Westbrook High School teachers Darcie and Erin. It’s always nice to find a pocket of real music lovers to share a show with. Don emerged from backstage and gave me a quick hug. He was trying to track down some missing equipment on stage. I joked with him that I was impressed he was still dealing with his own gear now that Darlingside has gotten so famous. He laughed, but they’ve had a really big year! Darlingside was featured in The New Yorker (in an article called “Harmonious,” no less), their song “The God of Loss” was named a Favorite Song of 2015 by NPR Music, and Folk Alliance International named them 2015 Artist of the Year. Well deserved!

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Haroula Rose

IMG_3282Haroula Rose took the stage alone to open the show—just her and a guitar. She told us that her name means “joy” in Greek, which she gets asked a lot. Her set was sparse and somber, and I respect that her songs are so personal. “Time’s Fool” is a song about love, and “The Leaving Song” is about loss. She told us that she couldn’t play that song for a long while, too. Haroula just released her sophomore album, Here the Blue River, and I particularly like “Songbird.”

Darlingside was flawless, as always. Their banter was hilarious and their songs crisp and inviting. Seeing them live is a real treat—without exception. They played a lot of their new album, Birds Say. They opened their set with “The God of Loss,” which is one of my favorites from the new record, but I was really glad to hear “My Love” and “Sweet and Low” from Pilot Machines, too. I think the song that surprised me most live was “Clay & Cast Iron,” which kind of took my break away. Come join me the next time Darlingside is in town. I’ll be front and center and you should be, too! More pictures below!

xo,

bree

P.S.—I just remembered that David Wax Museum co-headlined this show and I didn’t mention them at all! I think they’re super fun live, but their music just isn’t in my wheelhouse. I stayed and danced for a handful of songs, but didn’t recap their set above because I really don’t post about a band unless I see their whole set and/or fall in love.

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April 11, 2016 · 10:09 PM

Mipso

One Longfellow Square, Portland, Maine

Sunday, February 14, 2016

I was so grateful to get to spend Valentine’s Day with my dear friend Dot in Portland. We had a delicious dinner at Empire and arrived early at One Longfellow Square to grab seats up close for Mipso. North Carolina’s Mipso kindly invited me to their show with Dan Mills back in January of 2015, and I’m so glad I decided to check them out. They were so delightful, in fact, that I scheduled my February vacation trip to visit my dad in Florida around getting to see them play again in Portland. I also randomly caught Mipso playing “Bad Penny” on a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, so they’ve had quite the year! Maybe they’ll be a household name by the next time they play in Portland?

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Mipso riding on the KFC float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Mipso is Jacob Sharp on mandolin, Wood Robinson on upright bass, Joseph Terrell on lead vocal and guitar, and Libby Rodenbough on fiddle. This talented, charming group plays beautifully and their harmonies are spot on. They are clearly good friends and good people and are warm and friendly with the audience. I loved “Father’s House” and “Louise,” and it was a treat to see Maine’s most famous mandolin player, Joe Walsh, join Mipso for a couple of songs, too. “4 Train” and “When I’m Gone” both hit me in the feels with their somber lyrics. It’s refreshing to hear songs from a band that feel authentic and meaningful. It’s also wonderful to hear vocalists perform who have crystal clear voices so you can understand every word.

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Jacob Sharp on mandolin, Joseph Terrell on guitar, and Libby Rodenbough on fiddle

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Joseph’s voice has a decidedly Paul Simon sound, which became even more evident during their lovely cover of “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.” I’ve already named a lot of favorite songs of the night, but “Get Out,” was another top favorite. Mipso really does it right. They are an absolute pleasure to see live and I’m already eager to have them back to Maine. They joked that they keep coming in the winter and would really like to come back in the summer, so I hope we don’t have to wait as long for their next show here. Thanks again, Mipso! Libby—I hope you had a fun birthday in Portland!

xo,

bree

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Maine’s Joe Walsh joined Mipso on mandolin

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Joe delivered a gift basket to Libby on stage at the end of the night. Her sweet parents sent it to One Longfellow Square to arrive on her birthday.

 

 

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April 10, 2016 · 9:45 PM

Ellis Paul and Friends with Betty Soo

Friday, January 1, 2016

One Longfellow Square, Portland, Maine

When I went to this show—my 45th Ellis Paul show—I knew my two-year-long relationship was essentially over (I respect that this is minor in the scheme of the universe), and I was feeling all the feelings. I also hadn’t really shared this information yet, so I was trying to hold it all together. I’m someone who doesn’t have a lot of interest in major holidays, but I’ve always loved the clean slate that comes with a new year, and I really wanted to make this night—the first of 2016—as happy as I could muster. I am so grateful for dear friends and the comfort of music. If ever there was someone I’d want to see perform while tending a broken heart, it’s Ellis Paul. His songs are vignettes—stories from many people’s lives—full of love and loss and change. Seeing an Ellis show, for me, is like being home wherever I am, despite whatever is going on. This was a well-timed night for this very uplifting show. I left feeling much better than I did when I arrived. That’s pretty high praise.

I had a lovely dinner at Empire with my friend Megan and her parents. She’d gifted them dinner and their first-ever Ellis Paul show for Christmas, and I got to tag along with them for the night. Colin, my steadfast concert friend, joined us and we filled in the middle of the second and third rows at One Longfellow Square. It was already pretty full when we got there fifteen minutes after the doors opened, so we were lucky to get such good seats at cozy OLS.

Austin, Texas’ Betty Soo opened the show. She was personable and seemed glad to be with us. She told us some of the gross band names she’d seen written on the walls downstairs in the green room (I’ll spare you). I particularly liked the song she wrote for her husband (who is her roadie and merch guy, too), “Whisper My Name.” Betty is a celebrated songwriter and was even named Kerrville New Folk Winner at the Kerrville Folk Festival.

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Betty Soo

I was so glad to see Don Conoscenti and Radoslav Lorkovic take the stage with Ellis Paul. From that moment forward, I soaked in the familiar songs, the friendly banter, and the opportunities to sing along (when invited). It was the best I’d heard Ellis sound in a while. Laurie MacAllister from Red Molly joined the gang for about 1/3 of the songs, including a heart wrenching cover of “To Make You Feel My Love” and a cover of Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush,” which Massachusetts-based folk singer-songwriter Lori McKenna co-wrote and won a Best Country Song Grammy Award for. Colin kept track of the night’s set list, which is helpful now that I’m finally emerging from hibernation and writing this four months later. I was grateful to hear some of my favorite “older” Ellis songs like “3,000 Miles” and “Martyr’s Lounge,” peppered with great covers by the whole gang (Don sounded awesome on “What a Fool Believes”), and Ellis reading his book The Night the Lights Went Out on Christmas. This show gave me exactly the escape I needed and helped me feel at least a little glad to see 2016, after all.

xo,

bree

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Don Conoscenti and Ellis Paul

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Ellis and Radoslav Lorkovic

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Rad

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The Nights the Lights Went Out on Christmas

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January 4, 2016 · 10:27 AM

Jeffrey Foucault with Caitlin Canty

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

One Longfellow Square, Portland, Maine

I first caught Jeffrey Foucault sharing songs with Mark Erelli at One Longfellow Square back in December of 2011 and I was smitten. There’s something incredibly unassuming about him, so when he opened his mouth and these captivating, heartfelt, honest lyrics poured beautifully out of him, I was caught a little off guard. He is fantastic live—a true storyteller. He came back to OLS in May of 2012, and I grabbed a front row spot to soak in the show. At some point in the night he introduced his friend and fellow musician, Vermont’s Caitlin Canty. She was in Portland working on a new record, and he’d taken her out for dinner before the show. He said she owed him a song, and “invited” her to the stage to sing with him. She is the real deal, and I was really impressed with her gritty, yet airy voice. What I didn’t know at the time was that I’d witnessed (and documented) their first performance together. Now, a few years later, they’ve toured extensively together. I feel lucky to have witnessed them at the very beginning of their musical relationship. I also had the pleasure of chatting with Caitlin after that show back in 2012, and she has become a friend-in-music who I look forward to seeing whenever she’s in town.

My steadfast concert buddy Colin and I grabbed front row spots at One Longfellow Square to enjoy the show up close (obviously). We met Nicole, who was solo and sitting next to us in the front row. She was lovely—it’s always great to meet great folks at shows. Nicole lives in Madrid and runs a travel company, but was staying in Portland for a month and had picked this show to check out. I made her a list of musicians I thought she should know about, and as if on cue, my dear friend and talented Portland-based musician, Max Garcia Conover, sat down with us to enjoy the show. He was obviously on the list I’d made for Nicole.

Caitlin Canty took the stage, and was joined by Jeffrey Foucault, Billy Conway, and Jeremy Moses Curtis for the whole of her seven-song set. Their energy as a band is fantastic—these folks are definitely friends and their chemistry is apparent. I especially enjoyed “Southern Man,” “Get Up,” and Caitlin’s stunning cover of Neil Young’s “Unknown Legend.” Caitlin’s second full-length album, Reckless Skyline (produced by Jeffrey Foucault), is getting some of the attention it deserves, especially by NPR, who introduced “Get Up” as one of the “Songs We Love” early in 2015.

From left to right: Jeffrey Foucault, Caitlin Canty, and Billy Conway

From left to right: Jeffrey Foucault, Caitlin Canty, Billy Conway, and Jeremy Moses Curtis

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Jeffrey Foucault and the band (now including Caitlin) took the stage (again) after a quick break to play Jeffrey’s songs. They were also joined at some point by guitarist Mark Spencer. They played a bunch of tunes from Jeffrey’s October 2015 release, Salt As Wolves, which was apparently recorded in just three days in rural Minnesota. I especially enjoyed “Slow Talker” and “Heart to the Husk” in the beginning of their set. Jeffrey and Caitlin unplugged and stepped to the edge of the stage to play her song “Leaping Out” and a cover of “Drown in My Own Tears” together. They both had big smiles on their faces while they played and the positive energy was contagious.

Jeffrey and Caitlin unplugged

Jeffrey and Caitlin unplugged

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The band wrapped up their set with the melancholy, lovely “Paradise” and then brought it up with “Left This Town.” We roared with applause and the band treated us to an encore—one of my (new) favorite Jeffrey Foucault songs, “Hurricane Lamp.” I listened to Jeffrey’s interview with David Greene on NPR’s Morning Edition, and he talked about thinking about a friend having a hard time fighting cancer when he wrote the song.

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You should definitely see Jeffrey Foucault and Caitlin Canty live if they come to town. Check out their Daytrotter session if you need a little extra urging. Thanks so much for a great night!

xo,

bree

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October 5, 2015 · 8:04 AM

Good Old War

Friday, September 11, 2015

Port City Music Hall, Portland, Maine

I first saw Philly’s Good Old War opening for one of my most favorites, the incredible Brandi Carlile, back in 2010. I have a firm policy that I always get to a show in time for the opening act, and it often pays off. Heck, Brandi was an opening act when I went to see Ray LaMontagne in Boston back in 2005! Good Old War was charming and their songs were catchy and upbeat. I saw them again in 2011 at Port City Music Hall, and it was an incredible show. They sang a handful of songs on stage and then unplugged and came to the center of the floor and serenaded us for the rest of the night with a dozen or so more songs. It was pretty magical—the exact kind of show I’d wished more people had been there to enjoy. WCLZ has been playing Good Old War’s “Tell Me What You Want From Me” off their new album Broken into Better Shape, so more people were at this show.

I ended up not convincing anyone to join me for this one, sadly, and I was plagued with audience etiquette issues throughout the night. You know all of these people if you go to shows regularly—I had the tall guy who said “excuse me” like he wanted to walk in front of me, so I gave him a couple of inches and then he planted himself right in front of me. There was the super fan who stood right behind me belting every word, and, of course, she was tone deaf. There was also the over-dancer who bumped into me at regular intervals. And finally, the girl who wouldn’t put her phone down and gave me the pleasure of watching their unplugged encore on the floor through her cell phone screen since I couldn’t see around it. Aforementioned people—why are you like this at shows? It’s so rude. It really did put a damper on my experience that night.

I was happy to hear some of my favorite Good Old War songs in person—“I Should Go,” “My Own Sinking Ship,” and “That’s Some Dream.” This indie folk trio is always personable and upbeat on stage. You can tell they’re great friends and don’t take themselves too seriously. Their eccentric dance moves aren’t too shabby, either. I hope more of you will be at the next Good Old War show in Portland—on your best behavior, that is. Pictures below.

xo,

bree

Keith Goodwin of Good Old War

Keith Goodwin of Good Old War

Dan Schwartz of Good Old War

Dan Schwartz of Good Old War

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Tim Arnold in the middle

Tim Arnold in the middle

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Thanks for this lovely view of the unplugged portion of the night, lady who elbowed me out of her way and then did this! :)

Thanks for this lovely view of the unplugged portion of the night, lady who elbowed me out of her way and then did this! 🙂

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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

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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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.

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

Seattle’s Hey Marseilles

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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

LA’s Milo Greene

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This beautiful shot of Milo Greene is courtesy of Caroline Carrigan

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

Jonny Lang

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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

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

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

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

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

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

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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 8th 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!

Happy 8th Birthday, Tiernan!

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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!

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“Beginning to Feel the Years" unplugged

“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.

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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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April 22, 2015 · 10:32 AM

The Ballroom Thieves unveil A Wolf in the Doorway

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Boston’s The Ballroom Thieves live just a handful of times, but they quickly made their way onto my short list of favorite live bands. This talented trio—Martin Earley (guitar/vocals), Calin Peters (cello/vocals), and Devin Mauch (percussion/vocals)—is simply made to play music together. Their driving, percussive sound is infectious and their crystal clear vocals and gorgeous harmonies are top notch.

I first saw The Ballroom Thieves open for The Lone Bellow (holy smokes, I know!) back in June of 2013. I’d never heard of them and yet they stole my heart with the urgency of their music, honest lyrics, and engaging live show. They know how to perform and bring it every single time. The last time I saw the Thieves was with the very talented Maine Youth Rock Orchestra, and it was a real treat to see them perform together.

The Ballroom Thieves with Maine Youth Rock Orchestra

The Ballroom Thieves with Maine Youth Rock Orchestra

The Ballroom Thieves just released their first full-length album, A Wolf in the Doorway. They kindly sent it to me a couple of months ago and I’ve been listening on repeat. A Wolf in the Doorway beautifully captures the spirit of the Ballroom Thieves. It opens with “Archers,” which will win you over in seconds. (Check out the video for “Archers” that the Thieves made with the Maine Youth Rock Orchestra). “Archers” captures what I think is the Thieves’ essential sound.

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My other favorite songs on the record are towards the end of the album. I love Calin’s airy lead vocal on “Bury Me Smiling.” “The Loneliness Waltz” is beautiful. I’ve listened to that one over and over and the lyric “We are frivolous with our hearts/Watch them bend till they break/Then we pick up the parts/We give/We take/We save and condemn/We live just to love again” slays me. Martin’s lead vocals on “Here I Stand” tell the next part of the story after “The Loneliness Waltz,” and their harmonies are hymn like. The whole album is stellar, and you should definitely give it a listen.

  
Not only have the Thieves released a great new album, but they’re coming to town on Friday! They’re definitely going to sell out Empire, so get your tickets early. They’re bringing the Maine Youth Rock Orchestra, and Boston-based folk duo Tall Heights is opening the show. If you’re into string sections and strong harmonies, this is a do not miss show! Come find me at the show and say hi—I’ll be the one smiling big and singing along in the front row.

xo,

bree

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