Mary Chapin Carpenter

I want to believe that an artist wants nothing more than to perform for me when I spend money and time to see them. I want them to entertain me with their music and also tell me a story about the song they wrote. Make me giggle. Make me think.

I haven’t been to many concerts which is why I may be enamored with Mary’s performance last night at TPAC. I already had a warm feeling after a few songs when she told us about playing at The Opry at The Ryman at 7 PM and then coming back up to TPAC for her show at 8 PM. She said she would never forget this night. She might me feeding me a line but I believed her because I know how special The Opry is.

Highlights:

  • A Sarah Palin dig.
  • She told us a story about watching Lyle Lovett on The Tonight Show soon after she had released & shot the video for “I Feel Lucky”. She walked out of her hotel room shower in a towel to see Lyle talking to Carson. Johnny asked about being named in the song and “being in the video.” (He was represented as a cardboard cutout.) Lyle & Mary had met in a airport recently and Johnny also asked about that. Lyle responded, “I felt her up.” (Listen to the song if that isn’t funny.)
  • A great story about Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, Elizabeth Hadley, and a related song.
  • A description of a road to the Outer Banks.

There were so many instruments used. Mary was always switching after a song. The pianist busted out an accordion. The bassist used an electric double bass, which is an instrument I have never seen. Mandolin & dobro were also used. Seeing the breadth of their talents helped me understand why most had been playing with her for so long. 

I don’t always agree with the planned encores. I’m curious if one has ever been scrapped because the audience didn’t applaud and left instead. The encore last night helped me realize that it can be used as a tool for closure, to bring the audience down from a high. Mary & the band came back and played “Down at the Twist and Shot” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her.” Both songs would have been fine to end with but it wouldn’t have summed up the concert that was mostly mellow. They ended the show with a stripped down and extended version of “The Hard Way.” It felt like a lullaby for the audience as well as a perfect ending. As I walked out I knew I had my fill; I was completely satisfied.

The show was planned by the Nashville Symphony and was scheduled for the recently flood damanged Schermerhorn. The show was moved to a much larger venue which is why I scored $25 tickets. I feels weird to admit I wouldn’t have experienced the show if it wasn’t for the flood.