Please Do Not Let Me Go

Yesterday, at long last, I finally broke my concert drought with an awesome experience that combined two of my most favorite things: Charlottesville and Ryan Adams.

I drove down in the early afternoon with Huan, Molly and Auddie (her second concert experience -- what a lucky gal) to enjoy some of the sights and sounds of my favorite little town. Despite the fact that many of my desired stops were closed on Sunday, we were still able to enjoy some delicious waffle fries from Maarten's and dessert from Arch's before heading to the downtown mall for the show.

Let me start off by saying that the Charlottesville Pavilion was everything I wanted it to be and more. This venue was being constructed while I was at UVA, but finally finished and opened for concerts about a year ago. It's such an assuming venue; one just strolls down the quaint downtown mall and suddenly comes upon it, this large white tent snugly wedged into a little corner at the end of the promenade.

It was a perfect venue, in that every seat in the house was a good one. Whether you wanted to kick back and sit up on the small lawn in the back, get inches from the stage, or mingle anywhere in between, the pavilion setup allowed for a clear view of the stage from any vantage point. I, in particular, like any venue that is equal opportunity -- that is, even short people like me can see everything on stage without straining their neck or pushing their way up.

The venue, combined with a cold beer and lovely evening summer weather, set the stage for a great night of music.

The show opened with a performance by Neal Casal, who, aside from being Ryan Adams' guitarist in the Cardinals, is also an established solo act worth hearing. Check out this old post from one of my oft-read music blogs for a great sample track, "You Don't See Me Crying," which was actually performed by Neal during Ryan's set with the Cardinals.

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals took the stage just before 8:30, and instead of doing their usual 2-set performance, they wound up playing straight through for over two hours. In what was mostly a mix of Cold Roses and Jacksonville City Nights, highlighted by an inspired version of "The End," sprinkled with other standouts -- "Trains" --> "Dear Chicago" and "To Be Young" with a slow-tempo intro -- Ryan seemed to be in great spirits, engaging the crowd with goofy banter and moving performance. (See full setlist here.) Catherine Popper, the bassist, added to the great stage presence of the band, at one point remarking, "I think some guy up front here is looking for his friend -- Has anyone seen 'Rock and Roll'??" I gotta say, I'm a bit jealous of her... the awesome harmonies she sings, her ability to work the brunette-with-blonde-streaks look and get away with it, and the simple fact that she's a badass rocker chick.

Personally speaking, I think I'd give a slight edge to the 9:30 club show I attended last year, for its intimacy and killer setlist, even if it did play like a "greatest hits." But for overall experience, this show was pretty incredible. Great venue, great town, and Ryan and his band were simply solid. And I couldn't have asked for a better view.

More from C'ville on my Flickr.