Glory Glory Patty Griffin

After years of waiting and missed opportunities, last night I finally found myself at a Patty Griffin concert. The wait was well worth it. From my seat at the top of the Wiltern Theatre, Row O in the Mezz, I bared witness to perfection personified.

Patty Griffin. You probably don't know her, which after this post will hopefully change. She is counted as an influence for an uncountable amount of singer/songwriters from Michelle Branch to The Dixie Chicks and anyone in between. Her songs and albums are genre bending gems with each album delivering samples of Rock, country, and even jazz. She can't be classified as a folk or rock or country. She is Patty Griffin and that is her genre.

My first dose of patty was years ago by chance hearing a song of hers on some skin care commercial. It was blue sky and the 10 seconds I heard of it stuck in my brain for quite some time. I could never figure out who it was. Then, I hear the song "You Are Not Alone" in the movie Niagra, Niagra (decent flick worth a watch for Henry Thomas/Robin Tunney fans). This haunting and sad song instantly grabbed my attention and sent me on a hunt for Patty. She had 2 CDs out by this time. Living with Ghosts, her first album which is mainly her and an acoustic guitar, and Flaming Red, a radical departure from her first disc featuring some heavy electric guitars and drums among her mellow ballads. Brilliant. Flaming Red also featured that long ago tune I had never tracked down Blue Sky, from that skin commercial. Pretty coincidental. From then on I devoured every CD she released. (PS anyone with her Silver Bells album that was never released...I need this badly) I have yet to hear a song or album of hers I do not love.

Last night, on a perfect LA day, my dream of seeing her live was fulfilled. She came on stage with her band to a roar of applause and let loose a set of rock and roll and heart breaking ballads that are unequaled in popular music. She is at the top of her game and she proved it last night. Her set was made of mostly of newer tunes from her most popular albums, including her latest release at highest career debut, Children Running Through. In fact, the highlight of the show was her performance of Burgundy Shoes, a song she described as being written after being challenged to write a happy song. It is a touching and startlingly haunting song of a girl spending a morning with her mother. It had me near tears I'm not ashamed to admit.

I have seen a lot of concerts in my life. Some large, some small and would count my first concert of Patty Griffin's as top of the heap. I know I regret missing her until now, and that missing her again won't be a possibility.

The good news is that you can get a taste of her live show by grabbing her live CD/DVD A Kiss in Time.

Do yourselves a favor and grab a couple of her CDs. You will not be disappointed.

Discography:

Living With Ghosts
Flaming Red
1000 Kisses
A Kiss in Time
Impossible Dream
Children Running Through

www.pattygriffin.net