Saw Patty Griffin at the Orange Peel last night. Hadn't seen her in concert in ten years or so, and she is a truly great live show. The problem was the crowd. The last time I saw her, no one knew who she was; she was just another chick singer-songwriter with a guitar. I mean, when I first saw her in '96 she was opening for Shawn Colvin and didn't even have an album out, just a demo tape (which I still have). No one paid attention to her, but I was mesmerized. When I saw her in '98 (or was it '99?) she was playing second stage at Lilith Fair and it was a similar experience. I was transfixed while the world kept moving.
This was a sold out show at the Orange Peel, and the people who were around me were chatty and slightly obnoxious. If I could have shot lasers out of my eyes, I would have. If ever there was a show to not talk through, it'd be Patty Griffin. Or even in the spaces between the songs; if you are laughing loudly or giggling about a date between songs like "Mary" and, oh, "Florida" then you deserve to have something large shoved in your mouth. Hopefully permanently. You destroy the experience for everyone else. I expected more from the crowd because she was the main act; she was the reason people were standing there. Smoke may have been pouring out my ears.
Couple that with attempting to stand for 5 hours straight and the subsequent searing pain running the length of my body and I was a chipper morning daisy. I am once again reminded that being on my feet for that long is not something I am capable of doing. I could feel the muscles in my shoulders and back tightening so much I feared my right arm would pop out of socket (again). That was a frustrating and disheartening revelation.
But Patty was amazing. If ever you have the opportunity to see her live, take it. she's worth every penny.
1 comment:
I concur, Patty Griffin is amazing! Her voice always gives me the shivers. I am very envious that you got to see her this spring.
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