Greetings, all!

After not being inspired to write for a while, I’m back with my thoughts on a concert I recently attended at the Lexington Music Theater Company in Lexington, MI – Kathy Mattea.

This was my fourth Kathy concert.  I'd seen her three previous times in Michigan over the last four years, first in the amphitheater at Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids in July 2005, second at Miller Auditorium on Western Michigan University’s campus in December 2006 for a Christmas show, and third at The Ark in April 2008.  .

The Lexington Music Theater Company is a truly beautiful venue!  I’d heard excellent things about it prior to making my first visit to attend this show, and it did not disappoint.  The ceilings are high inside, and the stage is a little higher and larger than that at places like The Ark or The Trinity House, but these features do not detract from the intimacy of the venue.  This intimate quality is enhanced by thick curtains covering tall windows to block out the outside light, plush carpet throughout the main seating area, lots of dark and rich wood paneling and exposed brick inside, and several dim lights throughout the listening space, including small lamps on little tables between the chairs in the section of seating closest to the stage.  It very much felt like Kathy and her band were playing a private show in a secluded area to which the audience had been invited as honored guests.  The sound was also quite good where we were seated.  I would see
 another concert here in a heartbeat.

This Kathy concert was made particularly special for me by the company I had for it.  My dad came with me, and he is the one with whom I first started listening to Kathy's music somewhere between 20-25 years ago.  This was his first ever Kathy concert, and I was so thrilled to be able to share that experience with him.

Dad and I arrived in Lexington together plenty early after having dinner in a neighboring city, found a place to park, picked up our tickets at will call (which was in the coffee shop next door to the theater, something of a surprise to me) and enjoyed visiting with those around us while we waited for the doors to open.  Fortunately, it was a dry evening with a nice breeze and some signs of sun, so it was quite pleasant to be outside waiting to get into the theater.  Once inside, we had general admission seats for the section of seating closest to the stage, and we sat in the front row just off center.

The opening act was Justine Blazer, a singer/songwriter from the Detroit area.  I was not familiar with her before she took the stage.  I thought she had a nice voice, and I was quite impressed by the gentleman who played guitar to accompany her.  My favorite song from her was a cover of Patsy Cline’s Walkin' After Midnight. 

Kathy took the stage with no introduction after a brief intermission following Justine's set.  She was joined by band members Bill Cooley (guitar), David Spicher (acoustic bass and harmony vocals), and Eamonn O’Rourke (fiddle, mandolin, and harmony vocals).  I’d seen both Bill and Eamonn play with Kathy before, and I was impressed by all three.  Bill is simply a phenomenal guitar player, David makes playing the bass look like the most fun anyone could ever have, and Eamonn transitions seamlessly between his instruments and adds so much to Kathy’s songs with his talent.  . 

Kathy did a fabulous job of crafting a set list that mixed songs from her most recent CD (an album of coal mining songs called, appropriately, Coal) with classics from her days as one of country music’s most popular female artists in the 80s and 90s.  While calling Coal an album of coal mining songs is accurate, however, it doesn’t really do the songs justice.  They are heartfelt, powerful, and brilliantly arranged.  Kathy grew up in West Virginia with two grandfathers who were coal miners, giving her interpretation and presentation of these songs greater meaning.  This was only my second time hearing any of the songs from the Coal album live, and I remain amazed at the tremendous strength in these songs and the impact they have on the live listener.

It was clear many in the crowd were familiar with Kathy’s older, classic songs.  She got the crowd singing along with her on Love At The Five And Dime and Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses.  The familiar Come From The Heart had a new arrangement for this show, but had not lost any of its appeal.  Where’ve You Been, a song I think of as Kathy’s signature song, brought many in the crowd to tears, and I was delighted to hear one of my very favorite Kathy songs, Time Passes By, live on this night.  Kathy and the band got a standing ovation both at the end of the regular set and after a two-song encore, and it was clear the audience had enjoyed themselves.

Kathy is gracious enough to spend time greeting and signing autographs for her fans after nearly every show she does, and tonight was no exception.  Despite ending up near the end of the gathering of folks waiting to see her afterward, it felt like Dad and I reached her pretty quickly.  She recognized having spoken to me after previous shows, and I had a ball getting to introduce her to Dad and telling her how he had introduced me to her music so many years ago.  We enjoyed a short conversation before Dad and I said our goodbyes and headed on our way.

So, overall, it was a spectacular evening, and I hope Dad and I will be able to share others like it down the road. 

Thanks for reading!