To say it was breathtaking would be an understatement. She was beautiful and erudite and every bit as relevant as when she sang protest songs in the ’60s.
She did an a capella version of Finlandia that was just heart-rending. She sang old, old folk songs, and newer ones; even ones so new that she didn’t know the lyrics by heart yet. She sang songs by Merle Haggard, and Steve Earle (“Christmas in Washington” which I’ve never heard before and now MUST find a copy of), and of course by Bob Dylan. She even did a Dylan song (It’s all over name, Baby Blue”) where she sang a few verses in an imitation of Bob Dylan’s voice! So funny! She sang a song she wrote for her son, thinking about them together on a trip to Hawaii, called “Coconuts” that has since taken on all sorts of other meanings and has some truly hilarious double-entendres.
She had two young male musicians playing with her who both appeared extremely talented, and both blended into the background as the perfect complements, stepping up for solos/harmonies/etc. when needed. She said “It took me until I’m in my 60s to finally assemble a band that’s low maintenance!”
She had played Grinnell College the night before and said she wound up giving a history lesson as no one in the audience had even been born when she started out (her career started 48 years ago). She introduced one song by saying “Last night, I said “I played this song at Woodstock” and the crowd went wild. Some of the people in TONIGHT’s audience were actually around back then….”
It was an amazing concert. I can only hope I am as full of vim and vigor when I turn 65.
(Yes, some of this is a repeat of a post on the main blog. But that post won’t stick around for long, and this one will.)