We found ourselves settled on a small stretch of concrete, our own chairs and drinks in tow, staring at a small stage with a single mic. A soft-pink sunsetting sky presaged the coming show, and the suddenly chilly early-autumn air shaped it. Most of the crowd settled under blankets while waiting, though many eventually shed them to stand or dance.
When Phil Chorney introduced The Lone Bellow, he told a story about the first Charm City Bluegrass Festival: while waiting for port-a-potties during the witching hour, The Lone Bellow came on the radio, both calming his anxiety and calling to mind his grandfather. Later that morning, he learned that his grandfather had passed at exactly that moment, and his connection became even more personal. He’d later invite them to play CCBF, a set he has called the best in the festival’s history.
And to be truthful, I think of The Lone Bellow as defined by a simple truth: the songs they write drive connection. On each of their albums, at least a few songs ring with familiarity; there is an intimacy to finding oneself in a song, to sing along and know the words aren’t yours, but the sentiment is.
That intimacy really played out at Stages on Friday night. Zachary Williams, Kanene Donehey Pipkin, and Brian Elmquist gathered around their single mic, trading turns in the center, and held the audience in the embrace of their songs.
They reminded us that gathering holds value, but that humor is every bit as important as thoughtfulness. They told jokes that might hold half-truths – Brian being born in a Cracker Barrel – and sang in each other’s ears while laughing. They hinted at untold ghost stories taking place in Roy Orbison’s studio (new record forthcoming!).
And they sang. Goodness, did they sing. Half Moon Light featured, but they played songs from throughout their catalog. “I Can Feel You Dancing”, with its planned/unplanned birthday shoutouts, brought smiles to the crowd, whereas “Wonder” laid us low before lifting us up.
A few other highlights from the set include their cover of The National’s “Pink Rabbit”, a half-broken song their voices combine to bring to something almost-hopeful. “Green Eyes and a Heart of Gold” brought the audience to dancing near the back end of the set, nestled against “Watch Over Us” and “May You Be Well.”
The night ended, though, with a rendition of “Angel from Montgomery” I never knew I needed. If anyone has a recording of it anywhere out there, please send it my way. It is not common for a talismanic song to become something new and beautiful, but The Lone Bellow more than managed the feat.
If you get the chance to catch them on this tour (or any tour), please do. The three of them in a half-moon around the mic is a different kind of special we rarely get to experience.
