GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Let the debate about concert etiquette begin. Singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne, playing in front of a sold-out audience of 1,900 at Frederik Meijer Gardens Wednesday night, chastised some concertgoers in the front row for talking during his set, refusing to play until the people left.
“Why don’t you go the (expletive) home and talk?” he spat during a vitriolic, profanity-laden diatribe at the offending party. He dropped several F-bombs, then his guitar, before storming off stage.
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Security and a member of LaMontagne’s crew talked with the concertgoers, who packed up their chairs and exited as some audience members cheered. After a delay of about five minutes, LaMontagne returned to the stage and finished the show, without further acknowledgment of the incident.
LaMontagne’s tantrum was a big black eye on an otherwise strong performance. Other concertgoers were angry, either at the talkers for apparently showing a lack of respect for the quiet, acoustic number being played, or at LaMontagne for punishing all for the alleged sins of the few.
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Either way, LaMontagne’s lack of grace was unseemly for a veteran artist. Part of his appeal is his passion and reverence for the art of music, and in performance, it comes across loud and clear: his show is all about the songs, which are musically strong, with no goofy banter, no frills to distract from the primary focus. He likely views the stage to be a sort of sacred place, and is protective of it – an understandable sentiment.
REVIEW: 2 1/2 OUT OF 4 STARS
What: Ray LaMontagne with Jenny Lewis
When and where: July 23, 2014, Frederik Meijer Gardens
Highlight: "Supernova" was an upbeat, poppy number with a saltshaker beat, chiming keys and a smoky LaMontagne vocal.
Length: 105 minutes for LaMontagne, 50 for Lewis
Attendance: 1,900 (sold out)
But concerts are social gatherings, where people drink alcoholic beverages, dance, mingle and sing along. Some are quiet and appreciative, others can be more rowdy. You expect a professional artist to play through the latter, maybe acknowledge it in a relatively polite manner, and move on. In the meantime, some of the crowd used the delay as an excuse to go home early.
To focus on one incident is unfair, considering the extraordinary concert that surrounded it. During his 105-minute, 19-song set, LaMontagne showcased a variety of tones and moods. He and his four-piece backing group veered from scratchy blues-rock to upbeat pop and gritty Americana. His voice ranged from a down-low Tom Waits rasp to a hoarse whisper to a full-bodied soulful roar, sometimes bolstered by his band’s multi-part harmonies.
LaMontagne paced the set like an emotional rollercoaster of sorts, following downbeat numbers with uptempo songs. “Supernova” and “Ojai” showcased his pop sensibilities; “She’s the One,” “Meg White” (which quotes the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”) and “Repo Man” rocked with beefy beats; opener “Gossip in the Grain” was a contemplative navel-gazer; “Hey Me, Hey Mama” was a danceable country-folk number, evoking strong images of rural life.
A three-song mini-set featuring just LaMontagne on guitar and harmonica and Zachariah Hickman on stand-up bass provided moments of contemplation, via “Trouble” and “Jolene.” But the singer’s eruption came at its conclusion, therefore assuring more people will be talking about his meltdown than his music, surely in direct conflict with LaMontagne’s intentions as an artist.
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Support act Jenny Lewis performed a 50-minute set, culling material from her current solo project as well as her past work with indie-rockers Rilo Kiley. Lewis was most engaging when she set down her guitar and sang uptempo numbers “The Moneymaker” and “Love U Forever.” For “Acid Tongue,” her backing musicians and members of LaMontagne’s band formed a choir behind her, harmonically boosting the confessional, almost country-esque ballad.
John Serba is film critic and entertainment reporter for MLive and The Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jserba@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.