Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA
I: Box of Rain,Dire Wolf,Mr. Charlie>Easy Wind,IMHBTRoses
Mason's Children,Brown-Eyed Women
II:New Speedway,Shelter from the Storm,Keys to the Rain,Standing
on the Moon,End of the Road,Sugaree,Mtns of the Moon,Peggy-O,
Franklin's Tower
E: Ripple,Boys in the Barroom
first thing on entering the theatre you are hit visually with the set. It looks simple enough, elegant with 3 ornate old wood tables, one with an old fashioned lamp and one with a vase of longstemmed roses. And in back, what looks like draperies hanging in a window to the floor. But, it's not that simple...with every song, the lighting changes and the screen in the background changes color, and the draping fabric changes to a different color. Very elegant effect.
The Somerville Theater itself is quite elegant. As your eyes gaze upward, you are treated to a beautifully painted ceiling, comparable to some of those beautifully painted Victorians in San Francisco - multicolors and ornate patterns. Carved wood all around. Seated in a balcony overlooking the stage, the fair maidens - Hunter's family.
As soon as I got to my seat, I found I was sitting right next to old friends I hadn't seen in months, and right in back of a friend I hadn't seen in years...I love when that happens!
I have never heard Robert Hunter sing before. This was the first time. And everything about it was a surprise! His voice was not what I was expecting...completely different completely better! I loved his voice!
I was also completely enthralled with my reaction to him singing his songs that I had always associated as Jerry's songs. And there was never a point where I didn't feel that, as familiar-sounding as they were, that these songs are truly Hunter's songs! (duh) He has a definate style that comes through in all of them - and the style is so tied with storytelling tradition, that these songs are just naturals for this kind of singing and playing. Naturally! It had sort of a Celtic leaning, I felt. Just perfect! Actually, there was one point where I had strong Jerry association with a song - with Standing on the Moon - it gave me some chills.
The best part of the first set for me was the last 3 songs. Things finally seemed to settle down nicely. _It Must Have Been the Roses_ I think was started out with a long intro, Robert seated on a stool. _Mason's Children_ felt whimsical and had me smiling and dancing in my seat. _Brown Eyed Women_ was accompanied by guitar and harmonica! Another surprise! Nice.
A 20 minute break outside, no smoking inside the old wooden theater. The theater empties out into the street, where there is no police presense that I noticed. Ran into Cath. Nice break!
The highlights of the 2nd set for me were Dylan's _Shelter from the Storm_ and beautiful beautiful _Mountains of the Moon_. But the song I liked the most was _Keys to the Rain_. I realize I've heard that song before, but never knew who it was singing it. I loved zipping in and out of the different moods in that song, the quick tempo changes back and forth.
_Franklin's Tower_ was pretty cool - he played it, sampled it, then played it back and then played -with- it, and then slid back into it real time - that part was fun to listen and to dance to.
There were lots of rowdy requests, between songs at least!, but that was the mood of the night. I felt all giggly too!
I really enjoyed the show - glad to have finally heard the man who wrote the words singing them with heart.
Debess
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