Home > Rock

04/19/2024

Rhiannon Giddens and Charly Lowry at Patricia Reser Center of the Arts / Photos and review

By CHRISTINA HALL // She played two sold-out shows at The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton, Oregon. She was joined by a band full of collaborators from throughout the years and supported by fellow North Carolinian, Charly Lowry. Photos plus a review of the concert.

Rhiannon Giddens made a stop in the Portland area to promote her latest album, You're the One. She played two sold-out shows at The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton, Oregon. She was joined by a band full of collaborators from throughout the years and supported by fellow North Carolinian, Charly Lowry.

Charly walked out on the stage beating a hand drum with a mallet, and sang acapella for a couple of songs, capturing the crowd with Brown Skin Girl. The former American Idol contestant asked the crowd if she should sing Jolene or Crazy, the crowd cheered about equally for each and Charly joked that it didn't matter then which one she played. She serenaded the crowd and ended up squeezing Crazy later on in a conversation.

Rhiannon and the band made their way to the stage and briefly tuned up their instruments before seamlessly going into Following the North Star, Almost a Love Song, and Right Kind of Wrong. She was joined on stage by contributors to her latest album: Attis Clopton on drums, Niwel Tsumbu on guitar, Jason Sypher on bass, Francesco Turrisi, and Dirk Powell on accordion, keys and fiddle.

Throughout the night Rhiannon shared inspiration for her songs which included Come Love Come a song about the economy of families where members were separated; If You Don't Know How Sweet It Is pulling from the playfulness of Dolly Parton; We Could Fly based on the book The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton and more. An emotional moment of the night was when Rhiannon sang Another Wasted Life. She told the story of the death of Kalief Browder who was unrightfully enthralled in the incarceration system resulting in him taking his own life. Her nephew, Demeanor joined the stage to provide dimension by rapping a section of the song.

The remainder of the night included genuine engagement with the crowd and allowing space for members of the band, her back to the crowd putting focus on each individual's solo parts. She rotated between the banjo, viola, and solely her voice. Charly joined her on stage for a few songs as backup and lead on Backbone. Demeanor also joined the stage playing castanets. Rhiannon Giddens may have been recently in the spotlight for her contribution to Beyoncé's first single from Cowboy Carter, Texas Hold 'Em. But she is an incredible artist on her own with a breadth of history and storytelling that will leave a imprint in Portland and beyond.

Comments