So despite my brush with death, I got to go see Joan Baez

There were two standing ovations and three encores (including one where she did 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' and another where she got the audience to sing 'Amazing Grace'. One of the best received was the 'Flora, the Lily of the West', which is set in Kentucky. Here's a video (not of our concert--cameras weren't allowed):


Her backing band was very talented. One guy played piano, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle, for example.

She was very engaging with the crowd as well. This was part of the Troubadour Concert Series, an all volunteer, community run show which has been running since 1993. Thursday they're having the Indigo Girls at the Kentucky Theatre, and in October Patty Loveless is coming. Some of the performers in the past include Arlo Guthrie, Alison Krauss, Don McCLean, Shawn Colvin, Riders in the Sky (I love their radio show--used to listen every Sunday at the comic store), Gordon Lightfoot, Suzanne Vega, and Lady Smith Black Mambazo, to give you an idea of their music.

I will say I was one of the younger people in the audience, and none of the twenty-somethings I mentioned the concert to really knew who Joan Baez was. But one of my co-workers plays her music regularly in her office and was thrilled with the prospect of her coming to Lexington. I hope she got to go.

Another great thing is when I bought the tickets from Ticketmaster I asked for it to search for best seats, as I really don't know the layout of the Lexington Opera House well. I wound up on the third row centre, very close to the stage but not too close. Joan was right in front of me. I also discovered that being on the sides had a problem in that the guitar in the spotlight reflected out to the audience, probably blinding a few people, something I'll keep in mind if I go to other concerts. I did find the constant changing of guitars distracting. She had one that was normal and one that had a clip to change the sound of the guitar, and a woman brought each out as needed, but they changed it every song. There was a guitar stand there; I don't know why it couldn't have been used instead. But that was the only distraction. Everything else was wonderful.

Anyway, I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I haven't been to anything to do with the arts or culture since the Petrie exhibit at UK's art museum, and that was last summer, so this was fun. And believe me, after my afternoon foray into traffic, I rather got into the singing of 'Amazing Grace'.