In the Trenches is fun and one feels just a bit sorry to see young adults leave behind their single, childless lives. But they muddle through and discover that raising a family is rewarding, time is fleeting and precious, and your single friends will have to deal with you and your yoga pants, PTA meetings, trips to the mall, a barking lab, and dinner moved up from 10 pm to 5 pm.
Full of exuberant energy, Gray opened the show with the moving musical piece Devil’s Gonna Rise Up, written by Abigail and Shaun Bengson. Gray’s musical director, Cody Owen Stine, accompanied her on the accordion. The song is a haunting, almost spiritual tune, showcased in The National Theatre of Scotland’s performance of Anything That Gives Off Light. That show was created in response to the Scottish independence referendum several years ago and involved the Scottish-US relationship throughout history. Gray’s style of singing gave the song great depth.
Rejoicing in the life and musical talent of Stephen Sondheim one year after his passing, 54 Below presented Sondheim Unplugged, a tribute beyond compare that has played repeatedly since 2010.
Tonight was an entertaining concert by influential, gifted, and driven artists. We shall be hearing from them more and more as their sparkling careers continue to evolve. The band was solid, the sound balance was excellent, and the musicians seamlessly shifted through the demands and diverse styles of the songs.