I picked up the guitar for the first time in 1998 and while the first few years were a fog, I vividly remember learning David Gray’s “Babylon” during my freshman year of college (in my apartment in Auburn, Alabama) — there is even a hack recording somewhere — but that will never see the light of day 🙂
That said, it’s safe to say that David Gray is one of my oldest and biggest influences, however, it wasn’t until last week, a full 13 years later, that I finally got to see him live in concert at McMenamins’ Edgefield in Troutdale, OR. My, oh my. He. Did. Not. Disappoint.
With one exception (Wave Hello, Say Goodbye), he played all of the songs I had hoped — plus some brand new songs. As you can see, his live sound is brilliantly spot on.
Aside from the music, one of my favorite moments of the night was this whimsical snow flurry that popped up at the exact right moment, in the midst of the most amazing swell of music. Cudos to the lighting guy, it gave me chills!
After 13 years of waiting for this concert, I spared no expense when it came to tickets — I wanted to see the facial expressions of the artist that I had only ever appreciated on recordings. I was gunning for front row but due to popular demand, I instead settled for third row tickets. Still, extremely good seats and plenty close to soak up the full experience.
While the music was nothing short of stellar, I honestly didn’t expect David Gray to be such an entertainer. He was very active and engaging, while still maintaining a most high quality in his vocals. Yes, this was an amazing date night with my beautiful fiance and an event I will always remember as one of the best concerts in my life. Well worth the wait.
