Christine Lavin in Concert!

“ You know those reviews, where the critic says they were prepared for a truly horrendous evening of music, but were surprised to find out they were wrong? Well, I was prepared this evening for a truly stupendous evening of music, but was surprised to find out it was even better than my wildest dreams! I have been a fan of Christine's for a decade and a half, and own half a dozen or so of her albums. I knew she was funny, witty, sensitive, and had a great voice. I had heard that she was a warm, down-to-earth person you could really just sit and talk to. None of this prepared me for the type of performance she gave tonight. Opening with a ditty involving the words "here in Cincinnati, Ohio on a Monday night", she sang a line into a Boomerang, a recording device that instantly plays back what the performer just sang. When it came back around, she added another layer of texture by singing and recording another line along with it. The next time around, both of the previously recorded parts played back, while she laid down yet another track to record. After about six layers, the rich, diverse sound played once more, and then stopped. The effect was awesome. I said to my partner Ray, "Well, if it stopped right here, I would have gotten my money's worth." But it kept going and going. Next up was a spoof of commercialism and the temptation of big artists to 'sell out' for big endorsement bucks, thereby embarrassing their fans. Christine said she was glad Pachabel had been dead for centuries, so that he never had the chance to be bought out by a company such as, say, Taco Bell. She then proceeded to tear up Pachabel's greatest hit by again utilizing the Boomerang to lay down the rich layers of the Canon, with all new words. It began: "Guacamole, guacamole", and continued with "Taco salad, taco salad", until, by the third round, the audience was laughing too hard to catch (or at least to remember) the rest of the words. It was a sheer joy ride from there. Everything she did was new to me, except a couple of hits, including "It's a Good Thing He Can't Read My Mind", "Sensitive New Age Guys" (Ray got to go on stage and sing, along with the other sensitive new age guys in the audience), and "Sometimes Mother Really Does Know Best". In between were stories of funny things that had happened to Christine (including being asked if she used to be a nun!), and introspective moments (like when a fan said she had known her music back in her heyday!), all with humor, insight, and spunk. She sang about faux pas's of the rich and famous ("What Was I Thinking?"), about her political views (Ervin Drake's song "I'm a Liberal"), Hawaii and its charms/faults ("Windchimes in Hawaii"), and even a song about organ donations (involving the newly-crowned Mr. Cincinnati, an audience member Christine hand-picked for the title)! She told us that Mary Travers (of Peter, Paul, & Mary fame) is currently quite ill and awaiting a bone marrow transfusion (she has a rare bone marrow type); Christine herself has started a website of jokes to send to Mary at [masked], to cheer up her fellow musician in her time of waiting and watching. She requests that everyone send their favorite jokes or memories of good times spent at PP&M concerts in the past. She ended the evening with her (in)famous baton-twirling finale (she's wicked with those sticks!), and threw one to the bartender in the back (which he caught), two more to the back of the audience, and one to Ray (we got it autographed)! After the show, she stayed around for a long time, chatting about knitting and music, her Boomerang, Cincinnati air, and much more. She must have worn her hand out signing autographs! Christine Lavin is a true show-woman, and obviously loves the stage, her life, and the fans who love and support her, not just with their purchases of her music, but with their friendship for this truly special performer and person! She will return to this area (Northern KY) this summer, and I know that I, for one, will be there! ”