Photos and Review by Colleen Goyer
Melissa Etheridge always provides an incredible performance and always plays to her audience of adoring fans. Saturday night was no exception. Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston provided a perfect location for this great summer night concert.
Melissa’s set list hit the real heavy favorites, If I Wanted to, I Want to Come Over, Chrome Plated Heart, of course Come to My Window and I’m the Only One. Most songs came with a guitar change showcasing her wonderful collection of acoustic, 12 string, and multiple electric guitars. The set allowed her to show off her guitar and vocal skills, as well as play the piano and drums, it was a really good mix.
The audience sang along to every song, showing excitement at the first notes played from the first to the last songs. Melissa shared stories with most songs explaining what life events, experiences or relationships she drew on when writing them. A cover of a Joan Armatrading song, The Weakness in Me, on which she played piano, offered something a little different from her usual sets. Melissa’s song You Used to Love to Dance was accompanied by a story about dancing at clubs back in her 20’s when George Michael songs were always part of the nights music and she even included a brief section from his song “Father Figure”. She talked about her short time at Berkely College of Music and her time in Boston which drew some reactions from the Boston crowd. During You Can Sleep While I Drive, Melissa invited the Indigo Girls to join her on stage for the second set’s joint performance and again the crowd was further charged up.
The final song, which anyone who has been to one of her shows before can name, was Like the Way I Do with her signature drum duet with her drummer. The band was the usual incredible musicians that have toured with her for the past couple of years or longer.
It was another incredible performance by Melissa Etheridge and the addition of the Indigo Girls made it a unique show. The artists were a well aligned combination and provided a fantastic night of music that had me pulling out the 90’s songs on my playlists today as well as some of their more recent releases.