Every moment felt like we were taking a definitive step in our hero’s journey, like it could have been a soundtrack to a joyous or poignant moment in The Princess Bride. The smoke and lights curling and unfurling behind them added to the adventurous atmosphere, like they were in a daunting forest or dreamy seascape. It was, in a word, romantic.
This bluegrass band worked together seamlessly, and it was shivering sublime euphoria in the moments when the three vocalists came together. Their footwork was impeccable – I still don’t know how someone plays the fiddle and jigs about the stage simultaneously, but Sara Watkins did it.
In a way, it was a shame we were seated – the polite etiquette and social niceties of sitting in rows in such a grand theatre restrained the audience and we clearly wanted to be up there, jiving and stomping with them. They did include us several times, including in a wonderful stamp, stamp clap type affair that we just about got the hang of by the second verse.
Cello solos plucked, songs sung about the messy middle part of relationships the apocalypse, and flying fiddle kicks, interspersed with witty banter in seductive American accents all blended together to demonstrate again why Nickel Creek are enduring and why they were sorely missed in the music scene.
