While Saliers and Ray are great as just a duo, the Shadowboxers were just as integral to this near-perfect show.
Indigo Girls
NORTHAMPTON – They may be called The Indigo Girls, but their sold-out show at the Calvin Theatre Friday night featured an entire spectrum of musical colors.
Backed by the phenomenal band The Shadowboxers--which also opened the show--the duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers kicked things off with the rollicking "Least Complicated," which put the crowd in a great mood immediately. This was followed by the rolling guitar lines of "Tried to be True" with featured gorgeous three-part harmonies and a brief but delicious guitar solo packaged in middle.
A soaring slide guitar obligato added a nice flourish to the jauny feel of "Gone," and a peppy clap intro launched the flat-out rock of "Making Promises." This tune also showcased the open two-part harmonies that Saliers and Ray do so well.
Lyris Hung, a violinist in the death metal band Hung, joined the proceedings for "Get Out the Map" which was fueled by a mandolin and banjo combination atop a syncopated tom-tom rhythm.
The lilting lament of "War Rugs" featured violin solo by Hung and was an early highlight. The band then shifted gears as Ray led off the galloping "Trouble" with a furious mandolin attack. While Saliers and Ray are great as just a duo, the Shadowboxers were just as integral to this near-perfect show.
The group then plowed in dark sonic terrain on the pulsing, hard rock song of rebellion, "Go." Jumpy electric piano bursts started "Fill it Up Again," which featured the Indigos ceding the shouted chorus to the audience.
The evening also featured plenty of good-natured banter which crowd ate up.
"We're going to a Tweet tour where you can just Tweet in what you want to hear," Ray said, referring to Twitter. “But you can't get mad if we don't play all the tweets. And we're going to learn 'Freebird,' don't you worry."
Second-half highlights included the bluegrass feel of "Yield" and the pretty and wistful apologetics of "I'll Change," which combined a sweet vocal by Saliers with a well-received solo by Hung.
Later in the set, they Indigos played a special request, "Watershed," which seemed like it might have been requested by everyone in the audience. A furious solo by Hung brought the country march "Faye Tucker" to a crescendo, and "Shame on You" allowed Saliers to show off her guitar chops.
The night ended with the duo's signature song, "Closer to Fine" and a solid version of Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue?"