I had the wonderful opportunity to catch this incredibly talented female trio at the Side Chapel in the First Unitarian Church - which was SOLD OUT. Having only ever seen shows in the basement of the Church, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but had a feeling that this smaller, more intimate setting would be perfect for these girls.
In case you're out of the loop, Molly Erin Sarle (above, left) provided the vocals on BOBBY's self-titled album, while Amelia Randall Meath (above, middle) took over for BOBBY's live shows, one of which took place in the FUC basement a couple of months back (review HERE).
The sounds of Mountain Man are best described in the bio section of their Facebook page:
"The music of Mountain Man is nestled in the tradition of American folk, but shoots like diamond dust out of the nest into the high, wide atmosphere. Their songs are shaped by three searching voices, encompassing harmonies and a shared belief in and love of the world. They are mutually moved to sing by their love for people, and for trees, birds and mountains, the ocean, the night, the moon, and being a woman. They all love the rambling, rumbling, rolling summer…"
Playing mostly songs from their album, Made the Harbor, Mountain Man also threw in some cool surprises, such as Amelia's beautiful solo cover of "Green Grass" by Tom Waits. They ended their set with a navajo prayer song, turning it into a round and getting the entire audience to participate. The entire chapel was filled with the lyrics:
"Now I walk in beauty, beauty is before me, beauty is behind me, above and below me."
Overall, this was an incredible hour of live music. I don't know if it was the unique setting, Mountain Man's beautiful vocals, the packed audience, or a combination of all of the above that made this one of the best shows that I've seen all year.
Check out some super dark and noisy (due to silly autofocusing) videos from the night:
Check out some super dark and noisy (due to silly autofocusing) videos from the night:
Like | Made the Harbor | Live at the Wiltern
Remaining tour dates:
7/28 Mercury Lounge - New York, NY
7/29 Club Helsinki - Hudson, NY
7/30 Iron Horse - Northhampton, NY
7/31 Newport Folk Festival - Newport, RI
