piecesofme

loriamb:

Bob Reynolds – May, 2011 Live Shows

 Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA

I had the unique opportunity to see Bob Reynolds play three live shows last week.  To say it was an incredible musical adventure doesn’t even come close to properly describing the experience I had.

 For the first two shows, Bob played with the same band — Janek Gwizdala on the bass, Justin Varnes on the drums and Tyrone Jackson on the keys.  Since the same band played the first two shows I saw, I assumed both shows would pretty much be the same.  I was wrong.

Thursday night, The Evening Muse, in Charlotte, North Carolina.  I’m not sure what my expectations were for this show, but needless to say, whatever they were, they were exceeded.  The venue was “intimate” and the crowd was great.  Everyone was really excited about the fact that Bob was playing in Charlotte as a bandleader for the first time.  The set was absolutely remarkable and full of energy.  It was hard to believe that it was the first time that those four guys had played together.  I’m going to venture a guess that it won’t be the last time Bob plays in Charlotte because people were definitely appreciative of what they heard and saw.

Friday night at Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta, Georgia was a completely different experience.  I had never been to Smith’s.  The room was a bit odd.  It was very wide, or spread out, which is unusual for a smaller space.  It was the same band as the night before, but their sound was completely different.  I think the crowd in Atlanta conveyed a very different energy.  The set was great, but a bit less intense than the night before.  I had a chance to talk to some random people after the show and I know some new fans were made that night.

There’s no denying that Bob brought his indisputable talent out at both shows.  I’ve said it before and because it’s still true, I’ll say it again.  Bob’s presence is captivating and it is with great precision and skill that he takes his audience on an incredible journey, always leaving them wanting more.  You get caught up in the moment, all your senses are engaged – well, maybe not smell - and then, before you know it and always too soon, the last note of the night has been played and it’s over.  Luckily for me, there would be one more show on Sunday night.  (More about that separately.)

This weekend made me think of a favorite W. H. Auden quote.  “A verbal art like poetry is reflective; it stops to think.  Music is immediate, it goes on to become.”  In the capable, talented hands of Bob Reynolds, music becomes everything you want it to be, need it to be and so much more.

One last thing… Sorry about the picture quality.  Maybe at some point, I’ll try to pay less attention to the music and care more about the pictures.  Maybe one day I’ll even succeed in taking a picture of Mr. Reynolds with his eyes open.

Well at least I can read about the shows I missed…..still bummed about that.