"I'm so tired!" complained Kris Delmhorst during her headlining concert at the Somerville Theater on Saturday evening. Despite her admitted fatigue, however, she still managed to radiate an enthusiastic vibe to the nearly sold out theater.
The evening began with music from a newly formed band, Maybe Babe, featuring Jennifer Kimball and Ry Cavanaugh, but the real excitement began when Delmhorst took the stage, opening with "Cluck Old Hen" from her new CD, Five Stories. The crowd immediately focused on her soothing voice and this new, upbeat tune.
Delmhorst continued through her set, playing songs from Five Stories as well as the old favorites that the crowd demanded. Her remarkable ability to charm the audience with her soft, folksy ballads and exciting verses continually drew the audience into the show.
Some of Saturday evening's audience favorites were "Marylou," "Yellow Brick Road," and "Garden Rose." Delmhorst's songs, whether live or recorded, have a wonderful, uplifting attitude. They focus on a variety of themes from hopes and dreams, to little girls and triumph. The songs give a sense of hope for the future and a feeling of power to those who listen to them. The lyrics from "Marylou," for example, do just that: "But I see you and you're different and to me you look so free/ You live your life the way you think it ought to be."
Throughout the evening, the audience was treated to an array of unusual instruments that gave the performance a unique sound, as the band's repertoire includes basses, an accordion, a mandolin, and various percussion instruments. The mandolin proved the perfect complement to Delmhorst's style; it was an unforgettable sight to see the mandolin player strum out tunes all night long with incredible energy and an obvious dedication to his art. Especially exciting were the duets between the mandolin and Delmhorst's guitar as the two musicians faced each other and dueled it out through their playing.
Other highlights included Delmhorst's fiddle on "Mean Old Wind" and occasional guest vocals by Maybe Babe's Kimball, sometimes supplying an alluring contrast between the two voices. Still, there were other songs in which Delmhorst played solo on the guitar or played with the gentle accompaniment of just an accordion or harmonica.
Delmhorst seemed slow to open up to the audience, but by the end of the show, she was sharing all kinds of stories and making everyone laugh. It was a special treat to have a glimpse into the dynamic between Delmhorst and the band members. There was a feeling of being a part of the group's rehearsal that night, as they cracked jokes with one another and talked openly to the audience, making light of some of the lyrics.
"I wrote this song just so that I could make my band members say 'mincemeat,'" Delmhorst said with a smile. She also talked about her little sister's importance as an inspiration, Delmhorst then encouraged the crowd to think of their younger siblings while listening to the music.
The final song - before the numerous encores - was a toe-tapping tune in which members of both Delmhorst's band and Maybe Babe performed together. It would have been a great way to close the show, but the audience would not allow it, drawing Delmhorst back to the stage twice more for a total of three extra songs. She once again won everyone over by singing the highly demanded song "North Dakota" and closing with "Lullaby 101," which also closes her new CD. It should have lulled the crowd a bit, but that seemed impossible, as all were on their feet cheering for the performance.
Delmhorst has a light quality to her singing that is quite unique, and seeing her in concert shows that her performance talent is truly remarkable. Even though her popularity is quickly growing, this Davis Square folkie is still an ordinary girl, one who is interested in being in touch with her fans; she came out after the performance to "schmooze" and to sign CDs.
If you're sorry you missed out on this concert, you can still catch Delmhorst on Dec. 8 playing with Mark Erelli in a charity benefit show at the First Baptist Church in Lexington.
