Venue: Woodland Park Zoo - Seattle, WA
Date: Sunday, June 29, 2008
Opener: Coyote Grace
Special Guest: Brandi Carlile Band
The Scene
This is hardly the first time the Indigo Girls have graced an outdoor stage during early summer in Seattle. The shows used to be on a pier overlooking Elliot Bay, the Olympic Mountains in the distance, cool late June breezes cooling things down quickly. The last few years, they've taken place at Woodland Park Zoo.They've made a habit of returning every summer and, the past few years, local alt-country singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile has made a habit of making a "surprise" appearance.
This year, the show happened to fall on the final day of LGBT Pride weekend, which seemed to have put the whole crowd in a party mood.
Coyote Grace
Openers Coyote Grace used to be a hometown band, as well, so they were awarded a warm welcome home. Joining them on fiddle and mandolin was local multi-instrumentalist Michael Connolly (Korby Lenker, Captain Gravel). It was Connoly's solos that wowed the crowd for much of the set, though Coyote Grace's earnest lyrics and tight, sweet harmonies no doubt perked up more than a few ears. They delivered fine covers of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" and Greg Brown's "Downtown."
Indigo Girls
It was a day of record high temperatures in Seattle, making it difficult to be in one place for very long in the large, exposed field without feeling the effects of the heat. Perhaps this was to blame for the low energy start, but the Indigo Girls—consummate pros—quickly powered through.Backed alternately on keyboard and accordion by the very talented Julie Wolf (Dar Williams, Ani DiFranco), they opened their 90 minute set with "Become You," from the album by the same name. This was followed by a handful of tunes (including crowd favorite "Power of Two") before welcoming their "surprise" guest.
Perfect Harmony
One of the things that's endeared the Indigo Girls to their legions of fans for the past 20 years is their gorgeous contrapuntal harmonies. They focus sharply on shaping their vocal arcs, making sure to play the harmonies out in a way that best serves the songs' thoughtful lyrics.The only thing that could make their intricate harmonies more haunting is the addition of a third, hugely dynamic voice. It's this particular thing that's made the Girls' habit (and that of Carlile) such an exquisite experience. Their three voices soared through some of the Indigo Girls' finest compositions, refining them only further. It's hard to not wish for this trio to be more of an ongoing thing.
Highlights
One of the most notable performances of the evening was an outstanding rendition of "Hope Alone" (purchase/download) on which the trio was most electrifying. "Virginia Woolf" (purchase/download) was a notable performance, with Julie Wolf on accordion and Josh Neumann on cello.They also shared a couple of new songs from their forthcoming album (due out Feb. 2009). "Sugar Tongue" was a sharp Ray-penned topical tune focused on animals and the environment. Saliers' "Fleet of Hope" was a broken hearted love song with some well-timed marine metaphors. The Girls reunited with Carlile for an unforgettable turn on Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's Alright," before welcoming the rest of the Brandi Carlile Band onstage with openers Coyote Grace for a group jam to "Closer to Fine" (purchase/download). With so many people onstage and a crowd on its feet, it was a fitting close to an early summer night.
The Indigo Girls are on tour now. Visit the Indigo Girls' Web site for a full tour schedule and more information.
