The Ticket Stub Project - Ray Lamontagne
All of this week I’ll be pulling out a favorite ticket stub and discussing the merits of each artist/event.
We’ll begin today with “Ray Lamontagne” at the 930 Club, Friday August 12, 2005.
I first heard about Ray from my sister — she normally has pretty good music recommendations (Barenaked Ladies in 7th grade, Damien Rice a couple years back, etc.)
So I checked out his single “Trouble” and it was ridiculous — completely amazing — the kind of song that gives you little goosebumps… I had that same tingly feeling the very first time I was exposed to Dave Matthews “Dancing Nancies” in high school in 1994.
Every song on his album “Trouble” was excellent… 50,000 watts of soul emanated from his voice on each track…who was this dude?
A few months later he came to Iota in Arlington, VA where he packed the little bar/restaurant with a couple hundred people… the guy was so timid and so freaking shy but as soon as he belted out music into that mic, it was all over. He had decades of the most amazing soul, R&B, folk and gospel sounds building up inside of him and they exploded in front of the world…well, that club at least. It was inspiring to watch how his voice completely shook the room.
I needed that experience again when he announced his show at the 930 club — what made it even more enjoyable, was that he asked the venue to make the club “Non-smoking” for the entire night. Anyone who visits that place on a typical night goes away smelling worse than the Marlboro man.
Needless to say, he rocked the house…and I’d see him anytime he comes around here again.
Check out “Trouble”, his most excellent album on iTunes
PS - Happy Birthday to Elizabeth V. out in Cali
