The award-winning singer-songwriter performed as part of a trio on Sunday night, with Parker Millsap getting the evening started. The review and photos at Local Spins.
Compelling Songs: Patty Griffin on stage Sunday night. (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTO GALLERY
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
A master of the melancholy, Patty Griffin lays bare lyrics that cut to the bone, tug at the heartstrings, make listeners feel the ache of the forlorn.
But this veteran singer and performer who’s emerged as one of America’s most important songwriters over the past three decades also oozes a down-to-earth gregariousness on stage with self-effacing tales tinged with humor.
And three-quarters of the way through Sunday night’s Acoustic Café Folk Series concert at Grand Rapids’ St. Cecilia Music Center she even unfurled one of her most upbeat, optimistic gems.
Propelled by Griffin’s crystalline voice, the lyrics of “Heavenly Day” from 2007’s “Children Running Through” cut through a sold-out Royce Auditorium:
Stellar Accompaniment: Patty Griffin with David Pulkingham. (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
“No one at my shoulder bringing me fears/Got no clouds up above me bringing me tears/Got nothing to tell you, I’ve got nothing much to say,” Griffin sang.
“Only I’m glad to be here with you on this heavenly, heavenly, heavenly, heavenly day/Oh, all the trouble gone away, oh for a while anyway, for a while anyway/Heavenly day.”
Of course, it should be noted that “Heavenly Day” immediately followed Griffin’s take on a gruesome murder ballad of sorts, “Bluebeard.”
But still, there was no denying Griffin’s buoyant mood, informing fans of her joy in learning that her lost dog had been recovered by her pet-sitter and hailing her first-ever stop at St. Cecilia with hopes she’d return in the future.
MOODY, MESMERIZING, INSTRUMENTALLY ENERGETIC
One night after co-headlining the Ann Arbor Folk Festival at Hill Auditorium, Griffin and her uber-talented bandmates – guitarist David Pulkingham and percussionist Michael Longoria – delivered a moody, mesmerizing and at times, instrumentally energetic, 90-minute set of Americana-fueled music.
It came after her touring mate, Oklahoma-bred singer-songwriter Parker Millsap opened the evening with 34 minutes of “Front Porchin’ ” tunes enhanced by some splendid acoustic guitar work.
‘The Real Thing’: Parker Millsap (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
Getting things started with “Mama’s Worried” from her self-titled 2019 album, Griffin leaned often on Pulkingham’s tastefully plaintive guitar accents and Longoria’s rhythmic brilliance – something that made her immigrant-inspired “250,000 Miles” one of the evening’s highlights, along with “Bluebeard.”
While it wasn’t Griffin’s strongest vocal performance — and the sound mix seemed a bit muddy early on — the message behind her songs powered through.
Griffin spent most of evening on acoustic guitar, moving to the grand piano for mournful renditions of 2015’s “Servant of Love” and 2004’s “Mother of God,” and jamming out on mandolin during “Shine a Different Way.”
The main set closed with a vibrant band take on 2007’s “No Bad News.”
Over the years, the Grammy Award-winning Griffin has recorded or toured with the best (Robert Plant, Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Todd Snider, Mavis Staples) and her songs have been covered by just as many stars — who like fans at St. Cecilia, recognize the power of ending a “heavenly day” with poignant, enduring music.
PHOTO GALLERY: Patty Griffin, Parker Millsap at St. Cecilia Music Center
Photos by Jamie Geysbeek
