Review: Shakey Graves
Photos and Review by McLane Brown
May 11, 2019
We had a crowded floor this past Saturday, May 11 at the Ritz in Raleigh, NC for a Shakey Graves show that’d been postponed due to a hurricane last year. With Raleigh local Kate Rhudy and recent first record deal signers Illiterate Light opening the show, the audience had an exceptional night waiting for Shakey Graves right from the start.
Besides knowing that the packed venue was there to see him, Shakey Graves came out on stage solo as if he was a ramblin man who just blew into town and played the first few songs of his set. Starting out alone, backlit with his face in shadows, and building into the trio consisting of keyboard, drums, and guitar lent itself to build a story around his journey.
With a stage presence like his, Shakey Graves could be as expressive as he wanted with his songs and the crowd ate it all up, begging for more. Building up, quieting off and letting his arms go limp as he stood looking past the crowd into the vision he made, then jumping back in and pounding on the suitcase turned kick drum behind him while yearning into the mic, the stories were written clear across his body along with the lyrics.
It was truly a pleasure to experience a performance by him, and recommended to anyone wanting to experience the ebb and flow of life through music.
We had a crowded floor this past Saturday, May 11 at the Ritz in Raleigh, NC for a Shakey Graves show that’d been postponed due to a hurricane last year. With Raleigh local Kate Rhudy and recent first record deal signers Illiterate Light opening the show, the audience had an exceptional night waiting for Shakey Graves right from the start.
Besides knowing that the packed venue was there to see him, Shakey Graves came out on stage solo as if he was a ramblin man who just blew into town and played the first few songs of his set. Starting out alone, backlit with his face in shadows, and building into the trio consisting of keyboard, drums, and guitar lent itself to build a story around his journey.
With a stage presence like his, Shakey Graves could be as expressive as he wanted with his songs and the crowd ate it all up, begging for more. Building up, quieting off and letting his arms go limp as he stood looking past the crowd into the vision he made, then jumping back in and pounding on the suitcase turned kick drum behind him while yearning into the mic, the stories were written clear across his body along with the lyrics.
It was truly a pleasure to experience a performance by him, and recommended to anyone wanting to experience the ebb and flow of life through music.
