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Archive for the ‘Kathleen Edwards’ Category

Patty Griffin (Musikfest Cafe, Bethlehem, PA, July 16, 2026)

Posted in Bethlehem, PA, Kathleen Edwards, Musikfest Cafe, Patty Griffin, Steelstacks on July 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: July 16, 2026] Patty Griffin

I have Patty Griffin’s first two albums.  I liked her first album (folkie) and really liked her more rocking second album Flaming Red.  I’d always thought she had kind of a weird voice but it was a cool voice. And then after those two albums I’d basically forgotten about her.  My wife really liked one of her songs (Where I Come From).  That one’s from 2019 and seems more likely that it would have been played.

Patty Griffin came out on stage with two musicians-a percussionist who was wonderful to watch–he had so much gear and hit all kinds of things.  I was very happy we were on his side of the stage.  And a guitarist who made some amazing sounds come from his guitar.  She announced their names but I didn’t hear either one.

Patty stood front and center and began singing.  And she didn’t sound anything like I thought she would.  I realized that the albums I liked were 30 years old, but I didn’t expect her to sound so different.  And when she spoke, it was practically a whisper.  Well, I have just learned today that Patty Griffin had a battle with breast cancer in 2016 and lost her voice.  She started singing again in 2019.

So I guess that explains why she sounds different.  And probably why she doesn’t sing any of her older songs–at some other recent shoes she did sing a song from her debut but clearly not at every show.

As she started All the Way Home, the guy in front of us whooped.  Really loudly.  I admit that I don’t like whoopers at the best of times.  But this was a small, quiet crowd.  In no way was any whoop necessary, but certainly once you did one and the crowd didn’t react, it’s time to read the room dude.

I enjoyed these first two songs from her latest album.  Back at the Start had s cool surf-guitar sound that sounded great with her whispery voice.  She played The Wheel from that 2019 album (my wife liked the wrong song, I guess).Then she played a bluesy song called Standing.  I don’t really like the blues as a genre, so I didn’t love this one.  Up next was a song about her mother’s passing.  Indeed, her whole new album is about that.  Born in a cage was a very pretty song.  (more…)

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Kathleen Edwards (Musikfest Cafe, Bethlehem, PA, July 16, 2026) [PATTY GRIFFIN]

Posted in Bethlehem, PA, Kathleen Edwards, Musikfest Cafe, Patty Griffin, Steelstacks on July 16, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: July 16, 2026] Kathleen Edwards

When I saw Kathleen Edwards in 2021, I traveled to NYC to see her because I thought that this was a one and done kind of thing.  That she had basically retired from music but was going to do this show and I’d finally get to see her.

Who would have guessed that five years later I would have seen her seven times.

I didn’t necessarily need to go to this show, but I knew that a Kathleen Edwards set would be enjoyable and Musikfest Cafe is a delightful place to see a show.   I was also vaguely curious about Patty Griffin.  I have two of her albums from the 1990s but otherwise know little else about her.

We arrived way too early because the last time, parking was a struggle.  There was something going on downstairs–I wonder if it was supposed to be outside.  Because of the fires in Ottawa the air quality was terrible today.

When I bought tickets I had purposefully bought ones where no one was around us and it paid off, we had a nice buffer around us.  So we relaxed and waited for Kathleen,

I had no idea how this show would work.  It seemed like a double headline bill.  But, in fact, Kathleen was the opener.  For this set it was only her and Matt Sucich.  I think I’ve seen this combo before, but I always marvel at how every one of her shows has been different in some way.  Kathleen played acoustic guitar and Matt played various guitars adding solos and riffs and of course backing vocals.

I had asked on two social media channels if she would play “I Make the Dough You Get the Glory,” my favorite song by her, which I have never seen her play.  But she obviously didn’t get the memo.  But this turned out to be a kind of greatest hits set and it was fantastic.  Interestingly, my wife also had a “wanna see” song (Hard to Everyone) and she didn’t play that either.

With it just being the two of them, Kathleen was looser and the songs sounded different (not better or worse, just different). (more…)

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Kathleen Edwards (Musikfest Cafe, Bethlehem, PA, October 19, 2025)

Posted in Bethlehem, PA, Kathleen Edwards, Musikfest Cafe on October 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: October 19, 2025] Kathleen Edwards

When I saw Kathleen Edwards in 2021, I traveled to NYC to see her because I thought that this was a one and done kind of thing.  That she had basically retired from music but was going to do this show and I’d finally get to see her.

Who would have guessed that four years later I would have seen her six times.

After seeing her at the XPN Fest it wasn’t really necessary to see her a few weeks later, but heck, seeing her in an intimate setting like the Musikfest Cafe from just a few feet away (when I already had tickets) was hard to pass up.  I had a ticket for my wife as well but she didn’t feel the need to come to the show.

I must have left a little later than I meant to because by the time I parked (and there are NO ADA spots near the venue–the best they can do is spots on the closest side of the closest parking lot which is like two blocks away) I was running seriously late.  In fact, I think I walked in at exactly 8.  Luckily, this is one of those loose setups and there was no opening act, so she came on around 8:15, which gave me enough time to order my (obligatory at this place) food (a flight of pierogis–pretty good).  I was seated at a table not too far from the stage (but I knew better than to get right up against the stage–it’s too close!)

It’s funny that the first few times I saw her, she had a different backing band each time, but for the last three shows it has been the same–they are a well seasoned band by this point and they sound great. (more…)

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Kathleen Edwards: XPoNential Music Festival: Marina Stage (Wiggins Park, Philadelphia PA, September 20, 2025)

Posted in Camden, NJ, Kathleen Edwards, Marina Stage, Philadelphia, PA, Wiggins Park, WXPN 88.5 FM--Philadelphia, PA, XPN Fest, Xponential Music Festival on September 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 20, 2025] Kathleen Edwards

We wandered around a bit while Molly Tuttle was playing and then headed back to the Marina Stage for Kathleen Edwards.  It was still crowded, but not as crowded and so we got a reasonable spot on the hillside.  We were relatively early for Kathleen.  And let’s face it she was a major reason I wanted to go to this festival.  To get to see her and Richard Thompson was a wonderful day.

I had seen her at the end of last year and I had tickets to see her in October, but a set

This was the first time we were hearing these new songs live.  Billionaire sounded just amazing floating around the riverfront.  When the Truth Comes Out had just started getting some airplay and it was a lot of fun to hear it live for the first time.

But it wasn’t all new songs. She played one of my favorite older songs Change the Sheets–the guitar of this song and the chorus are so great.

She announced that’s she’s part of the five timers club at the festival.  The only other thing she’s done five times is David Letterman.  She said how much she loved Philly, because of XPN and the people who support it.  “It’s fucking unbelievable.  And I know this is a family show so I’m only going to swear once.  Maybe.”  This led to the song in which she sings how thankful she is, Glenfern, one of the songs I’ve seen her play every time.  She will always be thankful (and yes she cursed in it too). (more…)

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Kathleen Edwards (Roy’s Hall, Blairstown, NJ, December 12, 2024)

Posted in Blairstown NJ, John Prine, Kathleen Edwards, Matt Sucich, Roy's Hall, Tom Petty on December 13, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: December 12, 2024] Kathleen Edwards

Back in 2019 I assumed that the concert in NYC was the only chance I’d get to see Kathleen Edwards.  And now this is my fourth show.

Each time has had a different lineup, so even though the setlists are similar, the shows are very different.

The first time it was a five piece with two guitars (and a keyboard), bass and drums.  The second time it was drums, bass, pedal steel guitar and violin/keyboard.  So no lead guitar (all leads were on the pedal steel).  For this third show there was no bass or drums.  So, we had the same two “new” members from the show just a month earlier: Aaron Goldstein on pedal steel and Kinley Dowling who played keys and violin.  And we were once again joined by Colin Cripps (her ex-husband).  He played with her back in the old days and also when I saw her in NYC, but not a month earlier.

Tonight’s show was a trio with Gord Tough on guitar and Thom Hammerton on keys.   It was also my first time at Roy’s Hall and the sound was fantastic (even Kathleen acknowledged how good it was).

There was no bass guitar but the low end was really deep from the keys, which was great.  And even though I’ve been really loving drummers lately, this show didn’t need one.

Kathleen has released some covers lately (it seems like a covers album is coming out but she mentioned a new release in the new year instead).  So she played John Prine’s Hello in There (a song she said made her cry when she heard it in her coffee shop) and Tom Petty’s Crawling Back to You.

Otherwise, she played most of the same songs, but the ordering was different.  Indeed, Simple Math which opened the last two shows I saw wasn’t included.

I was thrilled that she played Chameleon/Comedian a song from Voyageur, my favorite album of hers, as I hadn’t seen her play it before.  Indeed, this show had the most songs I hadn’t seen her play since the first time. (more…)

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Matt Sucich (Roy’s Hall, Blairstown, NJ, December 12, 2024) [KATHLEEN EDWARDS]

Posted in Blairstown NJ, Kathleen Edwards, Matt Sucich, Roy's Hall on December 12, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: December 12, 2024] Matt Sucich

Matt Sucich opened for Kathleen Edwards in 2022.  I found him to be enjoyable if not a little forgettable.  The thing I remembered most about his set was that he said his name a lot.  He did that for this set as well (he said his name is like an earworm, if he says it enough it will get stuck in your head).

He has a soft, smooth folksinger voice (in the Simon & Garfunkel vein) but his songs are a bit more Dylanesque in their storytelling style.  So you know what you’re getting with him.  He’s affable and his songs are enjoyable.

He made more of an impression on me when Kathleen raved about him and when he sang with her during her set.

I did make a note of the songs he played (unlike last time) so here’s the setlist.

Montauk ∑
Walking Song ©/∑
Make Peace ©
Real Time ¥
Give Love ¥/∑
Upper West Side ¥
Crazy Time to Be Alive ∑

∑ Talking to Walls [live] (2024)
¥ Holy Smokes (2023)
© Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself (2021)

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Kathleen Edwards / Ken Yates (Concerts Under the Stars series Upper Merion Township Building Park, King of Prussia, PA, July 24, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Concerts Under the Stars series, Kathleen Edwards, Ken Yates, King of Prussia PA, Philadelphia, PA, Upper Merion Township Building Park on July 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 24, 2024] Kathleen Edwards / Ken Yates [rescheduled from June 19]

I once thought that I would never get to see Kathleen Edwards.  And then she resurfaced from her coffee shop and I saw her three times in a year.

I would have liked to see her at this show (I saw her at an outdoor show two years ago) but King of Prussia is really far.  And then the whole tour was postponed because she and her band ran into Visa issues (for the first time ever).

She managed to rescheduled the dates (I guess there’s a good reason to do short two week tours, they are much easier to reschedule).  (more…)

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Kathleen Edwards / Ken Yates (Concerts Under the Stars series Upper Merion Township Building Park, King of Prussia, PA, June 19, 2024) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Concerts Under the Stars series, Kathleen Edwards, Ken Yates, King of Prussia PA, Philadelphia, PA, Upper Merion Township Building Park on June 19, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: June 19, 2024] Kathleen Edwards / Ken Yates [moved to July 24]

I once thought that I would never get to see Kathleen Edwards.  And then she resurfaced from her coffee shop and I saw her three times in a year.

I would have liked to see her at this show (I saw her at an outdoor show two years ago) but King of Prussia is really far.  And then the whole tour was postponed because she and her band ran into Visa issues (for the first time ever).

She managed to rescheduled the dates (I guess there’s a good reason to do short two week tours, they are much easier to reschedule).  (more…)

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Kathleen Edwards (SOPAC, South Orange, NJ, September 22, 2022)

Posted in AC/DC, Emmylou Harris, Kathleen Edwards, Matt Sucich, Neil Young, SOPAC, South Orange, NJ on September 23, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: August 24, 2022] Kathleen Edwards

Back in 2019 Kathleen Edwards came out of “retirement” after spending five years running a coffee house in Stittsville, Ottawa called Quitters.  She has since sold Quitters and it is now something else.

She announced a few shows in 2019 and then a small tour in 2021.  I hoofed it into New York City to see what I imagined would be my only time seeing her.  (She was also opening for Jason Isbell, but I didn’t want to see her as an opener nor did I want to see Jason Isbell).

But then she announced a full tour in 2022!  A few years ago I thought I’d never see her live and here we are and I’ve now seen her three times in under a year.

What was also pretty interesting was that this band line up was almost entirely different from the last time (which had been different from the first time).

The first time it was a five piece with two guitars (and a keyboard), bass and drums.  The second time it was drums, bass, pedal steel guitar and violin/keyboard.  So no lead guitar (all leads were on the pedal steel).  For this third show there was no bass or drums.  So, we had the same two “new” members from the show just a month earlier: Aaron Goldstein on pedal steel and Kinley Dowling who played keys and violin.  And we were once again joined by Colin Cripps (her ex-husband).  He played with her back in the old days and also when I saw her in NYC, but not a month earlier). (more…)

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Matt Sucich (SOPAC, South Orange, NJ, September 22, 2022) [KATHLEEN EDWARDS]

Posted in Kathleen Edwards, Matt Sucich, SOPAC, South Orange, NJ on September 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 22, 2022] Matt Sucich

I thought that Matt Sucich was going to open for Kathleen Edwards in Haddon Heights.  But he joined her tour right after that show.  And so we saw him for this SOPAC show.

Despite how easy it is to get to SOAPC, the parking area was nuts, so we walked in in the middle of his first or second song.

We also had the terrible realization that the seats (which were moveable and placed in specifically for this show were REALLY close to us.  It made for a remarkably uncomfortable set in the otherwise normally really comfy SOPAC.

Sucich has a really pleasant folksinger style with a soothing deep-ish voice and a simple playing and lyrical style.

Midway through the set as I was enjoying him quite a bit he said one of the few things that will turn me against a singer.  he said that his new album had backing vocals by Adam Duritz and that he had just been on tour with Counting Crows.  There may be no band that I hate across the board as much as Counting Crows (mostly because of Duritz’ voice).  So this was not good news to me.  Although since Duritz didn’t appear, it wasn’t the disaster it could have been.

At some point he had made a joke about himself and the audience applauded and it became a regular thing that he would say this same thing about himself and we would all applaud.  It made for a warm and fun set.  Later on when he sang with Kathleen, he really won me over and all memory of Duritz was forgotten.

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