From busking the streets of Seattle to kicking off the Gesa Credit Union Pavilion’s summer season in a major way, Americana star Sierra Ferrell and the Brudi Brothers put on a tough show to beat.
Washington’s own Brudi Brothers kicked off the Sunday evening concert in a powerful way. This is my second time seeing the longtime buskers hailing from the Seattle area, and although they certainly impressed me last year, I was floored this time around.
First, I must mention the lead vocals of Conrad Brudi. With his brisk, warm tones and haunting wails, you might think he’s a singer straight out of days long gone, those who tell tales of experience and keep folklore alive. Their years of working as commercial fishermen in the cold waters of the Pacific certainly shine through.
That man can play the harmonica, and he does it darn well. Moments when the blues harp harmoniously meshed with the low tones of the fiddle were goosebumps inducing.
Last time I saw the band was when they opened for Wyatt Flores at Washington State University in September. A few things were different this time around, particularly the more electric sound. An electric bass from George Brudi and lead electric guitar from Johann Brudi, instead of an upright and second resonator, give their sound a different feel.
The biological trio also added a fourth member of the band, Eleni Govetas. Doing double duty on the fiddle and drum kit, she was sharp all evening long and added depth to the already old school sound. Also, anybody that can keep time with a hi-hat while fiddling is alright in my books.
The Brudi Brothers are a breath of fresh air, and I hope to catch a full performance from them sooner rather than later.
As soon as Sierra Ferrell graced the Pavilion stage, you could tell the night was going to be special. There’s this effortless energy surrounding Ferrell – one that’s half enduring, half mysterious. Throughout the show, she comfortably kept the crowd involved while speaking of loving one another and remembering the fact that we are all just people at the end of the day – a sentiment I can certainly get behind.
Of course, I must mention her incredible vocals; this just comes easy for her. Powerhouse is truly the only word to describe one of the best live vocalists I’ve ever seen, from her emotion-filled belts to light, mesmerizing falsetto. Not to mention, she is an excellent guitarist and fiddler in her own right.
I love the presentation as a whole; a story is being told onstage featuring imagery of vintage Americana, the Appalachia where she was born and an array of flowers. This story is one of travelers, those not afraid to live outside the invisible borders of society. Ferrell in her polka dot dress and vibrant personality is the narrator.
Of course, what’s not to love about an old-school band and such a slew of classic instruments that don’t get the love they deserve. Fiddle, mandolin, upright bass, banjo, pedal steel guitar, harmonica and, perhaps the most impressive instrument of them all, stellar harmonies. The band was nice and tight all night long.
Although there are too many highlights to count, hearing “In Dreams” stripped down to two guitars, Ferrell, and the mandolin to finish the tune off is certainly near the top. It’s a beautiful thing to hear her biggest song thus far, the one that changed the course of her career, being sung out by the entire Pavilion crowd.
My personal highlight may be the uproarious “Fox Hunt.” A crowd in call and response, jumping and stomping their feet as Ferrell and the band bring nothing but sheer energy and power – the kind impossible to deny.
Overall, it was a truly outstanding, bar-setting performance from Sierra Elizabeth Ferrell. With this being my first show of the summer season, I have no clue how it could be topped.
