Last night at the Cuthbert Amphitheater, the smell of marijuana and glasses of red and white wines blended over the brightly colored crowd. Ponchos, rain jackets and umbrellas covered the field like grass in anticipation to experience Georgia’s classic duo the Indigo Girls and the headliner Joan Baez.
The Indigo Girls came with the rain, yet both came with the anticipation to stay. As Amy Ray and Emily Saliers took the stage, they set the mood. Then, Sailers gave credit to their spectacular Eugene lunch of the day. Each of their songs filled the area with cheer as the rain began to pick up and wash away all thoughts of any member in the crowd leaving. Mothers, daughters and grandparents took to their feet to enjoy the vibrant songs as the duo took turns playing their hits and singles from their country albums. From the stage, Ray kept the crowd in high hopes by injecting rain jokes in between songs, and taking note of the large number of ducks marching behind the stage.
Baez took to the stage in a similar fashion by jokingily saying that the remaining members of the crowd “must be nuts.” However, she appreciated their “hearty souls.” Her voice and vibrance lifted the crowd, now soaked from the downpour, encouraged them to sing along to her folky melodies. As each of her band members entered the stage, she introduced them with honor, sharing with the crowd their importance to each song. Her music rang to a pleasing tone and she finished the night off with folk and classic hits.
Both groups captivated the audience as their folk rock music perfectly captured the essence of a rainy, calm and euphoric atmosphere. The intermission between the two acts lost a few observers, yet singled out the die-hards from the rest. Most surprisingly, the crowd was composed of those over the age of forty and under the age of six. The majority felt the bands deemed worthy enough to withstand downpour.
The Indigo Girls and Joan Baez filled the night with a summer sweetness that reigned on into the end of the overcast summer night.
If you are interested in catching up with either of the groups at a later time this summer, the Indigo Girls’ tour schedule can be found here, as well as that of Joan Baez here.