Bonny Light Horseman hosted a rollicking good time at Underground Arts, with Eric D. Johnson, Anaïs Mitchell and Josh Kaufman weaving together a heady mix of vocals, guitars, banjo, ancient and modern tunes, and genuine camaraderie over the course of 17 songs.
Playing most of the material from their two albums, 2020’s self-titled debut and 2022’s Rolling Golden Holy, plus a couple of covers, they proved that the stage is where they truly shine. Given the pedigrees of all involved, there’s no question that they have the depth of knowledge and musical gifts to curate and craft songs with charm, but in a packed club, it all comes to life, making the lover’s lament of “Bonny Light Horseman” quietly searing, bringing out the devotion of “Comrade Sweetheart” and the desperation of “The Roving,” and tapping into more primal needs with “Sweetbread.” Among the best were “Exile” with its tender harmonies and “Jane Jane” the most impassioned Christmas song we’ll hear all year.
Joan Shelley opened with a dynamic solo performance of songs from throughout her career, successfully balancing the sadness she’s known for with subtle emotional textures that capture and contribute to a more sustainable state of being.
Whether reflecting on the last night of a fulfilling tour with Bonny Light Horseman and anticipating returning to her family while dedicating “We’d Be Home” to her baby back in Kentucky, elaborating on her shifting approach to controlling her feelings in the intro to “Not Over By Half” or enlisting the audience in singing with her for “Like The Thunder” and the a cappella ”Between Rock & Sky,” Shelley invited listeners to be present and tethered to the moment, and to gracefully let it go when it’s over.
—M.J. Fine; photos by Chris Sikich
