On December 10, 2024, The Indigo Girls made a memorable stop in Rochester, NY, at the Kodak Center. The Atlanta, Georgia-based duo formed in 1985 but achieved breakout success in 1989 with the hit song "Closer To Fine." The Grammy-winning duo has amassed an immense fan base with a career spanning four decades, 16 studio albums, and 15 million records sold. The song "Closer to Fine" was featured in the 2023 hit movie "Barbie," introducing a new generation of listeners to their music. Eager fans of all ages attended the concert; the Indigo Girls performed for a sold-out audience.
Lucy
Singer-songwriter Lucy Wainwright Roche kicked off the show at 7:30 PM. Stepping onto the stage with only her guitar and microphone, she set the atmosphere for the evening. Her six-song set was a mix of music and a bit of comedic humor about her life. Lucy explained that she was about eight when she first met the Indigo Girls because "My mom was in a band that occasionally toured with them, called The Roches." The audience cheered loudly. She interacted a lot with them. A fan shouted, "What's your inspiration for your music?" She replied in a deadpan voice, "Mostly sadness, heartache, travel, and stuff like that," while laughter erupted from fans. She followed with some funny stories about playing at weddings and pondered why anyone would want my sad songs on their special day. Lucy prompted fans to buy her CDs at the merch table. She explained, "My apartment is filled with boxes of CDs, but it's not your problem, but it's almost my birthday, you know." The audience chuckles. Lucy was joined on stage by the Indigo Girls violinist Lyris Hung to help her with the last song. They performed an excellent version of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down." Fans gave her performance a standing ovation, and at 8:15 PM, the house lights came on.
Indigo Girls
After a short intermission, the house lights dimmed at 8:30, and fans cheered loudly as the Indigo Girls took the stage. Amy Ray strapped on her mandolin while Emily Saliers plugged in her electric five-string banjo. Fans cheered with excitement even before either played a single note, amazed by the legendary folk duo. Lyris Hung played the violin, and opener Lucy, who played guitar, joined the pair on stage. Kicking off their inspirational twenty-one-song set with "Ozilline," fans were energetic and got into the music. Next up was the popular song "Power Of Two," which fans sang along with the band. Ray and Saliers also played different guitars on certain songs throughout the show. Saliers also showed excellent slide guitar and impressive lead guitar solos throughout the set. Violinist Lyris Hung shined on "Shame On You" and "Go" but amazed the fans with a solo performance that incorporated a loop track and effect pedals created live. The Indigo Girls didn't engage with fans often, mainly offering a "Thank y'all" after the cheers quieted down following a song. However, fans actively talked to them. Shouts of "We love you," "Thank you," and "Thank you for your poetry," as well as song requests, were heard during the show, bringing smiles to the band members' faces. The performance was raw and vulnerable, without a backing band to provide support. Some lyrics were off-key, and Saliers humorously admitted to messing up a few guitar notes. This performance defines the essence of the Indigo Girls: we are human and genuine and give our all in every show. The energy and positive vibe inside the venue were noticeable. The crowd cheered excitedly as the band played the first few notes of "Closer To Fine." Everyone was singing along word for word. It sounded so good inside the venue. There could have been a live recording cut of the song! After this fantastic performance, the band left the stage while the fans cheered for an encore song. Walking back out after a few minutes, the Indigo Girls slowed it down with "Share The Moon." Playing the final song of the night, "Galileo," fans sang along with the infectious energy and sang along with the band. At 10:15, the show was over, and the house lights came on, revealing many happy faces in the audience. On my way out of the venue, I asked many concertgoers what they thought of the performance. The answer was unanimous: AWESOME!
Musicians: Amy Ray - vocals/guitar/mandolin, Emily Saliers - vocals/guitar/banjo, Lyris Hung - violin, backing vocals
Setlist; Ozilline, Power Of Two, Shit Kickin', When We Were Writers, Shame On You, Fill It Up Again, Sugar Tongue, I'll Change, The Wonder Song, Get Out The Map, Fishtails, Woodsong, Gone Again, Go, Country Radio, Beauty Queen Sister, Let It Be Me, Dairy Queen, Closer To Fine
Encore; Share The Moon, Galileo
