Three thousand fans gathered Tuesday night for a show to remember in Charleston, South Carolina. Ray LaMontagne, Gregory Alan Isakov, and Erin Rae serenaded us with some of the most beautiful folk and indie variations you could imagine. The evening was cool, overcast, and filled with anticipation as fans packed the field with blankets and made their way to the countless food truck vendors that lined the field at Firefly Distillery.
Erin Rae opened the night with her acoustic guitar and her talented counterpart on pedal steel guitar. The two performed haunting and harmonious songs like “California Belongs To You” and “On Her Side.” Erin Rae, a singer and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee, grew up around music, jamming with her dad, Mike McKaskle, a member of the alt-country band, Grindstone Plowboys. She stands on her own with Rolling Stone comparing her sound to Joni Mitchell. Rae has been on the scene since 2012 and was featured on Tyler Childers' album, Rustin' in the Rain, in the fall of 2023.
Gregory Alan Isakov took the stage next with his longtime band members; Jeb Bows (violin), Steve Varney (banjo, guitar, piano), Max Barcelo (drums), John Paul Grigsby (bass), and Danny Black (guitar). They wooed the crowd with “San Luis,” and for this Colorado native, I was taken back to those mountains and valleys filled with Aspens at once. Isakov, a first-generation American, calls Boulder, Colorado, his home, and it was exciting to witness them perform over on the East Coast. The talented group ended their set with “The Stable Song,” leaving the masses yearning for an encore. Their latest album, Appaloosa Bones, was released in 2023 and was received well with critics giving it an average rating of 8/10.
Ray LaMontagne closed the night with his soulful, raspy, and, as Rolling Stone says, “weathered tenor croon”. LaMontagne’s vocals were so good, I questioned if it was a live performance at one point (it was). His voice does not falter or waver, and when he sang “Trouble” and “Let It Be Me,” you could hear a pin drop as fans held their breath and stared in pure awe. I have seen LaMontagne only once in concert, about 12 years ago in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but I knew the veteran musician was something special even then, as my wedding song was "You Are The Best Thing". This show reminded me of just how unique his voice is, and I hope, if you're given the opportunity, you make your way to one of his remaining tour dates.
