Concert Review: Sam Barber brings goosebumps at U.S. Pavilion concert
Sam Barber and his band put on a clinic of a performance Friday night at the U.S. Pavilion in Riverfront Park.
Before getting into Barber, I feel the need to discuss one of his openers, Jonah Kagen, who played entirely solo with just an acoustic guitar. His soulful, raspy voice fits this folk sound and his honest, raw lyrics very well. He was the perfect opener for Barber’s own sound and incoming performance.
Kagen also came out to sing a recent release, “Burn Me,” with Barber. They form a solid duo with noticeable chemistry and intense, gruff harmonies. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next from him.
Barber has been one of the faces of a somewhat recent country and Americana resurgence. He’s been on my radar since he was posting covers online about three years ago, and it’s cool to see him come this far now.
Barber’s gruff yet strong and smooth voice is goosebumps inspiring. He sings with an intense amount of emotion, enough to conjure the feelings and even sense of nostalgia that he was first writing these songs with. You can easily tell he lives and dies by his music and the experiences that inspired each song within his performance.
Around the middle of the set, he went solo with an acoustic guitar – the very sound that blew him up to begin with, and it’s easy to see why. Barber is a raw performer that could stand the test of time. He knows his own voice well, whether it’s his perfect middle tone or intoxicating raspy yell.
Guitarist Luc Nyhus is one of the best I’ve heard live this year. His long wails and vibrato, as well as sense of distortion and echo is perfectly executed and exactly what Barber’s sound requires. And he sure can pick a banjo, as well.
Multi-instrumentalist Luisa Marion primarily plays the fiddle, and whether it’s fast-paced or slow, she excels. Whether supporting the rest of the sound or taking the lead for a solo, she knows her place and does it very well.
During Barber’s solo section he brought Marion out for a duet, and the raw honesty found in both Barber as a performer and vocalist alongside her backing vocals and long, gorgeous tone reminds me why I love this variation of the broad category of country so much. Who needs the radio pop production when you have something as genuine as this?
Vocally, Marion also fills in for Avery Anna, who is on Barber’s recent hit “Indigo.” Anna has one of the best voices in country music right now, and it’s a tough task to match, but Marion handles it well.
I must mention their rendition of Tyler Childer’s famed, yet unreleased, tune, “Jersey Giant.” They give it a new sense of full-band energy while keeping the same sense of melancholy that I really enjoyed.
One last thought, I love the pavilion as a venue; it could be the best in Spokane.
When an excited crowd and great live performance is present under the lights and the last light of the sun hangs above the city, nothing is better, especially with a concert like Barber put on this weekend.