Ryan Bingham show was as sweet as Honeyhoney

Ryan Bingham at the Taft Theater

Back in action and feeling rejuvenated.

I must say it was nice taking a short break, but I was also extremely excited to capture the Ryan Bingham and Honeyhoney show at the Taft Theater in Cincinnati.

If I am being completely honest, I was more excited to photograph opening band Honeyhoney and to try to capture the sheer beauty of Suzanne Santo.

Upon seeing her in person, the pictures did not lie. She is gorgeous – and more importantly amazingly talented.

Suzanne Santo of Honeyhoney

The band — violinist, banjo player and vocalist Santo, and guitarist and drummer Ben Jaffe — played a selection of songs off their album Billy Jack and left the crowd wanting more. Their rockin-country-folk-Americana sound weaved slow melodic ballads in with hard-driving bluegrass-rock. They did not disappoint.

I also loved the fact that the band went out to the merch booth after their set to meet their fans. They were very down-to-earth and both seemed sincerely interested in their supporters. It definitely made me like them more. AND all of this was the opening act.

The headliner was Ryan Bingham who has taken his act on the road without his long-time backing band the Dead Horses.

Bingham always raises eyebrows from people who have never seen him live as he is very thin and sinewy, with a scruffy beard and a cowboy hat. Then he sings.

His voice is sandpaper rough and very strong. It definitely does not look like the voice that should come out of this person.

Bingham started quickly with Guess Who’s Knockin’? and did not let up for the entire set. The crowd was filled with obvious fans, and most were on their feet the entire time (despite the extremely intimate feel).

To be honest, I was surprised the show was not sold out, but I hope that doesn’t dissuade Bingham and Honeyhoney from coming back around to the area.

I know that I am definitely looking forward to seeing Bingham again soon at the Hangout Music Festival.

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Indigo Girls weather the storm

Wow is all I can say.

I have to admit that I thought the Madison Theater would be nearly empty for the Indigo Girls show this past Tuesday night. Not because I do not think they are a good band or because they have been around for a long time, but because the storm of the century was being forecast for two days.

I had looked early in the day at the event listing on Facebook and it only had 14 people listed as going (one of them was me). And with the storm supposedly bringing up to eight inches of snow and beginning at 9 p.m., I really thought people would just stay home.

Boy was I wrong.

I have photographed a lot of shows at the Madison, but I think this was one of the most crowded and engaged audiences I have seen there. It was probably not even sold out, but there were not many people hanging around the bar. They were all awe-struck with the Girls, and they did not leave disappointed.

The opening act The Shadowboxers were an excellent segue act for the Indigo Girls as they offered some variation from fast-paced pieces, to slow melodic harmonies that reminded me of the Rites of Passage album.

Apparently the Indigo Girls agree as The Shadowboxers played double-duty as they also served as the Girls’ band.

The crowd of mostly women were in a frenzy by the time Amy Ray and Emily Saliers took the stage. The band dove right into one of their big hits Least Complicated urging the throng of fans to sing along.

The show did not slow down there and was strong from start to finish mixing in some old hits with some newer tunes before closing out with a bang (Galileo, Tether, Closer to Fine).

They even encored with Bob Dylan hit Tangled up in Blue.

At the end of the day the only people that were left blue were the fans who wanted to see more.

For images from the show, click here.

Madison Theater – Covington, Ky. – March 5, 2013
Least Complicated
Tried to Be True
Gone
Making Promises
Get Out the Map
Moment of Forgiveness
Fill It Up Again
Go
Watershed
Three Hits
Trouble
Shed Your Skin
What Are You Like
Shame on You
Power of Two
Virginia Woolf
Gone Again
I’ll Change
Kid Fears
Galileo
Tether
Closer to Fine

Encore:
Share the Moon
Tangled Up in Blue

More Girls … The Indigo Girls!

I am jonesin’ some live music. One week without a live show has me going stir- crazy. That, plus the announcement of another killer lineup (this time the Forecastle event in Louisville, Ky.), has me in a “MUST FIND MUSIC” mode.

BTW, did you see the Forecastle lineup? String Cheese Incident, The Black Keys, The Flaming Lips, Alabama Shakes, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Old Crow, Animal Collective, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, The Avett Brothers, Wild Belle, Dr. Dog and many, many more. Tickets go on sale Wednesday for the event. I am guessing you will need to act fast.

Sooooo… all that said, I am heading down to the Madison Theater Tuesday to catch the uber-talented Indigo Girls and their American folk-rock stylings, and The Shadowboxers.

Tickets are $30 for the 8 p.m. show and are available here …www.ticketmaster.com/venue/180386

If you are hitting up the show, stop me and say hello. Hopefully the show will help me get “Closer to Fine.”