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Ray LaMontagne live review |
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Written by VINCENT GIANDONATO
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Wednesday, 04 May 2005 |
You can criticize Ray LaMontagne by saying that he is just the latest neo-traditionalist to hit the scene; you could say it has all been done before and that LaMontagne’s songs are tall tales. Sure you could say that, but that is not really a criticism to the growing legions of "Ray" fans. It is a point well taken especially if you consider that Ray could possibly be at the top of his genre.
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| Ray LaMontagne |
 Entertainment
 Art
Metro
Chicago, Ill.
April 4, 2005
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LaMontagne’s music will be found under "acoustic guitar Singer/Songwriter" or maybe even "folk" but the truth is that he would be better placed under "storyteller." And telling those tales of love and loss has earned him sold out shows across these United States from coast to coast. April 4 at the Metro in Chicago was no exception. LaMontagne sold out the classic concert venue for the second time this spring, a feat usually reserved for Artist’s with bigger names. But there is something about him that has the potential to make him a bigger name than anybody else in the game right now.
The thing about Ray is his ability to convey feeling through his words. It does not matter if you are listening to a recording or watching live; the raw emotion comes through in his voice. It is these feeling that forms such a connection with his audiences and gives them the feeling that Ray really enjoys what he is doing. "Music is something that I want to do, that I have to do. I have to do it, it’s the way that I express myself." Ray noted in a recent interview, "There’s a certain enjoyment in writing a song, just being by yourself in writing. It’s a whole other thing when you’re performing its like church; it’s a religious thing. It’s like church, it’s sharing, and communicating; that can be a really beautiful thing."
So connect his audience does, at times it seems as if it’s just the listener and Ray, it’s just that intimate. When the hordes of fans scream for their favorite songs, its not that they are doing it for attention, but more that they really connect with that song and feeling it conjures up. From the moment Ray steps on the stage with his guitar strapped around him, taking long, deliberate strides to the mic stand, he is making a connection with the room.
On this night at The Metro, he made a strong enough connection the hold the 20-something crowd’s attention away from the NCAA Championship Game for a few hours, an amazing accomplishment in itself, only surpassed by the man who is doing it. LaMontagne’s performance is infectious, emotional, and all together enjoyable: A combination that could stir up enough support to keep him riding high for years to come.
Photos courtesy of Ray Lamontagne Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
