Last night Lapster and I went to see the Indigo Girls in concert here in Seattle, WA. To say that I am a fan would be an understatement. I love them. For almost 15 years, my sister and I have been seeing their concerts almost once a year. I think at last count I’ve seen them in concert 12 times, in 8 cities, 6 states. . .but who is counting?

Now, I don’t collect things or have in-depth hobbies. So following the Indigo Girls as closely as I have for more than a decade is my hobby. I buy their albums the first day they come out, buy tickets to shows as soon as they go on sale, and my sister and I compare endless notes on Indigo Girls news. It is not only great music (at the end of the day it is all about the music), but the connection my sister and I have because of their music is unbreakable.

Last night, at the age of 29, I was literally like a little kid. When was the last time you were excited to the point of giggling? I spend a lot of my time worried about what other people think — Will I embarrass myself? Am I bothering others? Am I in your way? I’m so sorry. I’ll move. I’ll stop. I’ll sit down. I’ll change.

But at an Indigo Girls show – the other people disappear. It’s all about me. As if these artists have come to give me a personal performance, and I simply allow everyone else to watch. I am transfixed. Giggling. Excited. Dancing. Now, I am not talking about dancing like you do at a nightclub. I mean behind your bedroom door dancing – as if no one is watching. I danced the entire show, often times by myself, but I didn’t care. The Indigo Girls deserved it, and so did I.

Now, I have always loved their music, but at this point, it is more than the music, more than a fan obsession. Their music has been with me at many critical points in my life. It is as if I am living my life again and they provide the soundtrack. I know I am not alone. Everyone has that artist, musician, poet – that just speaks your truth somehow. Calls you by name from a deep rooted place.

So I danced last night, and missed my sister who is so far away. Remembered taking a train from Munich to Prague with Closer to Fine in my headphones. Remembered playing Get Out the Map, as I drove across the country by myself. While working on the 2004 presidential race I blasted Go every morning during my commute. When depression hit me two years ago – Watershed brought me such comfort. I remember the fear of reaching for something more than you have now. The thrill of the open road. The look of disappointment from someone whose approval you need so desperately. The brilliant instant when your risk pays off. When he loves you. When you look back and truly realize why something terrible had to happen to bring you here. The moment, when you know the only life you have to live is this one. It belongs to you. So, you chose to move forward with joy, song, dance, and hope.

That is what music does for me. I think it does that for everyone. So maybe I should start with the reason I wanted to write this post – a review of the show here in Seattle last night. Can you guess if I liked it?

The opening band was Bitch and the Exciting Conclusion. I thought they were just ok, not great. She was a little heavy handed for my taste (for example, a song about witch hunts), but she performed some great spoken word. It is always difficult to know if I don’t like the opening band because they are not good or because they just are not the artist I came to see. Who knows.

The Indigo Girls came out about 9:15pm, and played for more than two hours. The Girls are touring with a full band complete with a bassist, accordion/keyboard, and drummer (who is from Seattle by the way). Often when you go to see Amy and Emily it is just them with their guitars, but a full band makes the show so much more. It is easy to see the Indigo Girls as nice lesbians who play folk music – but don’t be fooled they are great musician and they really rock.

They opened with Little Perennials off their new album Despite Our Differences. Followed by Pendulum Swingers. They played a lot of the new album including great versions of Three County Highway, Run, and I Believe in Love as one of their encores. I was blown away by Rock and Roll Heaven’s Gate (also off the new album) and some of my favorite oldies – Go and Tether (also an encore.). Not only, do they sound great, but it is so fun to watch Amy and Emily really play and enjoy the stage.

About half way through the show, they brought up a special guest - Ferron. I had never heard of her before, but Amy introduced Ferron as one of their idols. She is a Canadian musician who has done a lot of work for the Gay Community and has been playing Indigo Girl type music for years. She has a great smoky low voice, so I’ll have to do some research and buy her album. My favorite part of her performance was honestly, she looked like a normal woman. She wasn’t flashy or unattainably beautiful, but her soulful love of music was obvious and made her fun to watch. However, I think the audience reaction was a little mixed. Emily playing with Ferron on one of her songs, and then she did one on her own.

As always the Girls treated us to some of their classic hits including Heartache for Everyone, Fill It Up Again, Wood Song, and Three Hits. I don’t think I’ve heard them do those last two numbers in years, so it was quite a treat. All in all, the full band completely changes an Indigo Girls concert. It is so full and all out fun. If you ever get the chance, go see them.

The only down side, the crowd was fair, but not stellar. I blame the venue of McCaw Hall. It is normally used for ballet performances. There wasn’t much room for dancing, and it definitely sets a tone to sit and watch – but anyone who know the Girls live – it is a full participation experience. Two summers ago, my sister and I saw the Girls on the Seattle Pier and it was the best crowd ever. Everyone danced from the beginning of the show, everyone sang, and really interacted with Amy and Emily. It was a blast. This audience last night was much more quiet, and I did not always feel like they were as excited as I was (although that is a high expectation). It wasn’t until the end of the show that most folks were on their feet. The Indigo Girls want the crowd to sing – and some people sang, but a lot stayed in their chairs. No worries though, I sang loud enough for everyone.

All that said, at the end of the show they received a very loud standing ovation. Their encore ended with Galileo. You can’t help but love it – just for nostalgic purposes. I was glad that so many made the pilgrimage through floods and storms to see them. Tonight they are playing in Portland, and have several shows left in California.

Go see them. Buy the album. They are more than worth it. I love you Amy and Emily! You rock!