Saturday was a hot night in Cleveland; recorded temperatures reached into the mid 90s while the humidity easily pushed the feel of that number even higher. Outdoor music venues such as Jacob’s Pavilion at Nautica may have events threatened by severe weather, but not oppressive heat. Therefore, the night of incredible music from Ray LaMontagne and Neko Case played on through the night on the West Bank of the Flats.
Neko Case began the night, delivering power and artistry from the onset. Her vocals, almost ethereal in their sound, found their way into your heart, soul and spirit while the music vacillated between a country feel and a trip into psychedelia, with a little tinge of punk along for the ride. The depth of her artistry coupled with a comfortable familiarity with the stage—Case addressed the crowd often throughout her set. Referring to the oppressive heat, while channeling the spirit of her music, “This feels psychedelic… the temperature inside my shirt,” she laughed. She also gave a shout out to “our friends at The Beachland Ballroom,” as she dedicated her performance of Winnie to the local, independent music venue.
When it came time for the headlining act, Ray LaMontagne quietly took the stage. Exuding his beautifully unassuming nature, he raised his hand with a dip of his head to acknowledge and greet the cheers from the audience. Picking up his guitar and taking to the mic, he delved into a poignant yet subdued set that did not draw the audience consistently to their feet until the encore. And despite hollered requests from the dedicated audience for particular favorites, such as Jolene, or simply exclamations of “play your old songs,” the set was predominantly characterized by selections from his newest album, Part of the Light.
Ray LaMontagne’s raspy, yet soothing, voice pulls you in and calms your soul. As the occasional cool breeze began to slip in and provide respite from the heat and humidity, the songs from stage provided a comforting blanket of peace and passion. While delivering his songs, dripping with emotion and influence, Ray LaMontagne maintained a largely inward presence. The passion, emotion and poignancy of his songs clearly comes from a depth within himself—evident as he pulls from within and visibly feels his inspiration, as he delivers his masterpieces outwards.
While the night was characterized by an overall low-key and chill vibe, the performance definitely embraced some driving, powerful periods of soulful rock. The powerful iterations of the lead guitar elevated your soul into the sky. The drum work let go of its tight pocket and drove the energy even higher. In As Black As Blood Is Blue, the three screens at the back of the stage were artfully used to reflect the dynamic and powerful musicianship on stage—slow-moving, mirrored images created abstract, geometric visuals that pulled you into another realm with the raspy passion of Ray’s voice leading the way. And when the guitar turned to incredible slide work in She’s The One, pulling the heart in and the emotion to the surface, the keys came around to mirror the magical expression as the song drew to an end.
In contrast to Neko Case’s regular banter with the audience, Ray LaMontagne predominantly interacted with his fans through his performance. In a brief moment between songs where he lifted his hat and exclaimed, “It’s so nice to see you,” the audience roared their approval. And while he may not have talked a lot, he delivered what the crowd had come to hear—his passionate and moving music. At the end of the night the pounding in the bleachers sounded like thunder rolling in, producing a beautiful storm of sound instead of rain. The band returned to stage and delivered a powerful end to the night including Let’s Make It Last and Hey, No Pressure.
Ray LaMontagne’s music provides an outlet of passion and purpose for both the artist and the listener. Adding Neko Case as the introduction to the night strengthened the poignancy of the evening. Saturday night’s performance was worth every drop of sweat that was left on the pavement throughout Jacob’s Pavilion at Nautica.