Parsonsfield ~ 2018 June 22 ~ Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center ~ Old Saybrook, CT
Band Personnel (in alphabetical order): Antonio Alcorn (vocals, mandolin, resonator mandolin, banjo); Chris Freeman (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo, pump organ, pocket piano, harmonica); Harrison Whale Goodale (vocals, upright bass, electric bass, cello, saw, xylophone); Erik Hischmann (vocals, full rock drum kit, xylophone, percussion, upright bass, tape effects); Max Shakun (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric bass guitar, pump organ, accordion, pocket piano, melodica); Tyler Campbell (vibraphone on half a dozen songs) ... this band plays so many instruments, forgive me if I missed any
Set List
Songs that featured Tyler Campbell on vibraphone are marked with [V]
Light of the City - Ties That Bind Us - Country Pocket - Footsteps In My Ear - Let the Mermaids Flirt With Me {Mississippi John Hurt} - Go Find Yourself - Take Me Back - Everyone Dies - Empty Rocking Chair - Ghosts Next Door [V] - Barbed Wire [V] - Stronger [V] - Across Your Mind [V] - Water Through a Mill [V] - Right Now - Anita (Your Lovin') - Punching the Air - Weeds or Wildflowers - Kick Out the Windows ... encore ... Tear Down the Stage [V]
Scroll to below videos for review of the show.
Videos
Light of the City
Ties That Bind Us
Punching the Air (missing the first few seconds, sorry)
Review
I was delighted to be able to attend my second Parsonsfield show in two nights. It was well worth seeing them again, since they played quite a few different songs, and added an additional musician, Tyler Campbell on vibraphone, for a half dozen songs. Sometimes a band adds in an extra musician and it doesn't work particularly well since it interrupts the usual flow of the music, but that was not the case here. Tyler played the vibes with melody and style, and their ringing, bell-like sound added a beautiful dimension to the songs on which he played. "Water Through a Mill" was particularly nice with the vibes.
Several different songs were also added to the set list. These included this band's number one crowd pleaser, "Anita (Your Lovin')"; this song is a lot of fun, especially when performed anywhere near Providence in southern New England. "Tear Down the Stage," a song about wondering what the future has in store and another crowd-pleaser, took the place of "Kick Out the Windows" as the encore. Another real crowd pleaser, and one of this band's best songs, is the wonderful "Barbed Wire," which features a beautiful vocal back-and-forth between Max and Chris. It sounded very different when enhanced with Tyler's vibraphone.
A feature of a Parsonsfield show that is another crowd pleaser is the little acoustic set they usually include. Tonight Harrison sat down with the saw while the other four musicians gathered around the condensor mike. An audience member shouted out: "I love you!" I don't know if she realized they were about to start "Empty Rocking Chair," but it was great because the first words of that song are "I never told you that I loved you." The audience laughed with appreciation. Next, Harrison put down the saw and joined the rest of the band around the condensor mike for the atmospheric "Ghosts Next Door."
For the second night the band performed in a venue with excellent sound. The stage here is plenty big enough for this expansive band and all their many instruments. Everyone in this band is very active on stage, especially Chris who likes to jump up on the bass drum, and fall to his knees for a jam session with Antonio and Harrison. There was also a delightful light show that added to the excitement. The lights went from one color to another and then added in abstract patterns once in a while.
The Kate is in a beautiful old building with an interesting Katharine Hepburn museum in the lobby, located on the Main Street of Old Saybrook, a gorgeous Connecticut coastal town. There is plenty of parking in the area and an exceptionally nice Italian restaurant (disguised as a pizza shop) in a plaza about a 1/4 mile north of the venue.
The show was opened by a singer/songwriter from Northampton whose name I did not catch. The emcee of this show, when introducing the performers, unfortunately adopted a "World Wrestling Foundation" vocalization, and I couldn't understand a word he said. I did get a picture of the guy, so check out the photo gallery above if you want to take a look at him.
More Parsonsfield
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Click for 2018 Concert Page with links to all 2018 concerts ... Click for Main Concert Page with links to all years