lifeblood: listlogs: 2010v12n024-news

ig-news-digest tuesday, july 27 2010 volume 12 : number 024

today's subjects:
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[ig-news] grand rapids show review [sherlyn koo <sherlyn@pixelopolis.com>]

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date: tue, 27 jul 2010 09:35:51 +1000
from: sherlyn koo <sherlyn@pixelopolis.com>
subject: [ig-news] grand rapids show review

hey folks,

here's a review of the grand rapids show from the grand rapids press. you
can read it online at
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/07/review_indigo_girls_and_coyote.html

cheers,
sherlyn

- ---begin forwarded article---
mlive.com
review: indigo girls and coyote grace deliver a charming evening at meijer
gardens
published: monday, july 26, 2010, 1:25 am updated: monday, july 26,
2010, 7:01 am
rachael recker | the grand rapids press rachael recker | the grand rapids
press

grand rapids -- the lyrics of "second time around" may explain why the
indigo girls were back sunday evening at frederik meijer gardens &
sculpture park's amphitheater ... for a third time.

like in 2004 and 2009, their nearly two-hour concert was a sellout, rife
with unforgiving lyrics like those in "second" -- the seventh song in their
20-song set and two encores.

"here's what i find about compromise, don't do it if it hurts inside,"
languidly sung alto amy ray, wielding a mandolin as emily saliers cradled a
guitar.

and in "ghost," saliers' lighter soprano vocals soared, delivering the
startling lyrics, "and there's not enough room in this world for my pain."

the female duo's heavy, poetic lyrics clearly are the anchor of their
folk-driven, string-heavy tunes.

the two took charge of the garden's stage, sometimes with the help of
keyboardist/accordionist/vocalist julie wolf, who performed with the duo
last year. acoustic trio coyote grace also joined indigo girls on a handful
of tunes toward the end of the evening.
3 out of 4 stars

indigo girls, with coyote grace

indigo girls highlight: the enjoyable, danceable "heartache for everyone"
and, of course, "closer to fine."

coyote grace highlight: "a guy named joe," vocalist/guitarist joe stevens'
personal story of being a female-to-male transgendered person, is moving
and beautiful. and the a capella tune featuring finger snapping, "between
the river & the road" was spine-tingling.

time on stage: 1 hour, 50 minutes for indigo girls; 45 minutes for coyote
grace

but besides the lyrical weight, ray's and saliers' dueling guitars -- or
combinations such as guitar/mandolin or harmonica/guitar/banjo or
banjo/mandolin -- combined with their call-to-arms vocals also speak for
themselves.

the two opened with "become you," featuring a quick, dramatic change in
vocal range. saliers' pretty soprano supporting vocals, a half-note-late
response to ray's on "sugar tongue," were a calming embellishment.

the concert seemed to pick up steam around their eighth selection "fill it
up again," which has an uptempo quality. a highlight was the follow-up,
"heartache for everyone," which, ironically enough, was their most
danceable, bubbling tune, with an adorable quality that utilized wolf's
keyboard organ sounds.

a slew of notable hits followed, including the haunting "ghost," "shame on
you," audience-favorite "watershed" and the tough-spirited "land of
canaan."

ray performed the only solo of the evening with "romeo and juliet."
saliers rejoined her for "love of our lives," which features the duo
singing in unison, with saliers an octave higher.

but besides "heartache for everyone," some of the evening's brightest
moments featured acoustic folk openers coyote grace -- a trio consisting of
fiddle/mandolin player michael connolly, upright bassist/vocalist ingrid
elizabeth and guitarist/vocalist joe stevens, a female-to-male
transgendered individual who openly talks about his experience at every
concert.

the sassy, country-tinged vocals of ingrid elizabeth and stevens'
raspy-sweet tenor were a perfect match with ray and saliers on "gone
again," a soaring a capella moment in "get out the map," "ozilline," the
anthemic "galileo" and the evening's capstone "closer to fine."

perhaps "second time around" also delivered another truth sunday night:
"third time's a charm."

e-mail rachael recker: rrecker@grpress.com and follow her on twitter at
twitter.com/rachaelrecker

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