Rhiannon Giddens: Moody Theatre: April 25, 2016

Ree-ann-un, pronounced like Shannon.  I loved that Giddens stepped to the stage, barefoot but still tall and imposing, and schooled the crowd on how to pronounce her first name.  And the timing was impeccable, as some jamoke in the audience had just yelled out something about "ree-ah-non" two beats before she spoke up.  Funny start to the show.

If you haven't gone out to listen to her music, then you are missing out.  And the live show was even better, as her voice is an absolute glittering, majestic, and awe-inspiring dragon: swooping and soaring and crushing and burning and then curling up in the warm fire of its hearth to rest while the band burns away.  Seriously, her voice is so damn strong.  Just made me chuckle a few times at how powerfully she could project over the top of the many people jamming out with her on stage.  And she had a bunch - electric guitar, fiddle/accordion, stand-up bass, her own banjo, other banjo, acoustic guitar, cello, and drums.  8 people gettin' after it for most of the songs.

My favorite track from her last album was the Dolly Parton-penned song "Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind," and she did a great version last night.  She also absolutely killed one song "Louisiana Man" - just turned it into a jam session breakdown of flying banjo picks, fiddle, and the rest of the band cranking it up all the way.  And Giddens absolutely stalked the stage, swishing her skirt and eyeballing her band, just deep in the groove.  That tune was awesome.

Another top moment for me was the cover of "She's Got You," mainly because she took that great song, made it her own, and then displayed a real range on the song, cranking up the meaty chorus, but also showing some tenderness and soft tone for the ending.  I thought it was cool to see that side of her range.

I also have to note how amazing some of her own songs were.  She told us that she has been reading a lot about slavery and then reacting to those readings through songwriting.  She played us two of those songs, one that was a discussion between a slave and the plantation owner's mistress, as the Union army approached the house, and one that called “At the Purchaser’s Option,” which she said was inspired by an ad she found from 1820-something for a slave, where the slave's baby could also be acquired at the purchaser's option. Dark shit, man.  But both of the songs were beautiful, even if they were a somber detour during the rest of the show.

One funny distraction from all of that seriousness was the dude who was about a row back from the front, standing in the crowd, who was dancing like he was at the Electronic Daisy Carnival and was dosed on a big fat load of LSD.  Just pumping/waving/weaving his hands and leaning his head back to the sky and incorrectly mouthing half of the words in his ecstasy.  It was kind of awesome.

Overall, a damn fun show and a good taping.