Musical Notes

Friday night I saw Dar Williams in concert. I sometimes get nervous before going to concerts. I've been to a lot where I'm less than thrilled with the performance and spend the time wondering how much longer it will last and I will have to force myself to pay attention to the music. This was not one of those shows. Despite only listening to her latest CD a couple times pre-concert, that was enough to be familiar with the songs and thrill to hear them live. Dar in person is pretty amazing. She has an incredible report with the audience, peppering the songs with anecdotes and explanations. She began by saying that she was "courting" the Seattle audience (dressed up with flowers on stage) and court and win us she did. I've been listening to the CD non-stop all weekend.

Ben Taylor opened the show. I had never heard of him and commented halfway through the set how much he sounded like James Taylor. By the end of the set I realized that while not a bad band, the only way he could have secured the gig was through nepotism, and that his sound and last name were not coincidence. Sure enough, today I heard on the radio that Ben Taylor, son of James Taylor and Carly Simon, will soon be apprearing in Seattle again, opening for Michelle Shocked at the Crocodile. Family gets you far in the music biz, I guess.