This past Saturday, Maine-based folk singer/songwriter Lady Lamb and her band made a stop at The High Watt in support of her recently released sophomore record, After. The band effortlessly glided through a setlist of songs comprising both that record and her 2013 debut Ripely Pine, playing to one of the more densely packed crowds that I’ve seen at The High Watt.
I recently documented my long-standing fandom of Lady Lamb’s music, so it goes without saying that I had been waiting for this particular Saturday night for months now. I even forwent the chance to head back home for the weekend, partially because I had to start a new job earlier last week, but mostly because I couldn’t justify passing up the opportunity to catch one of my favorite rising musicians.
Aly Spaltro, the singer/guitarist/mastermind behind the project, took to the stage with a full cup of tea and a slightly hoarse voice. Despite this vocal encumbrance, she persevered through a set that lasted about an hour and included some of my personal favorites. Her backing band helped her with powering through early cuts like set opener “You Are The Apple” and the rollicking breakup song “Bird Balloons” to newer earworms like “Spat Out Spit” and “Sunday Shoes”, for which her bassist/keyboardist and drummer vacated the stage, allowing the full weight of Spaltro’s dense songwriting to make itself known.
Though she apologized numerous times for being on stage sick, it was no matter to the gathering of adoring fans, myself included. Everyone in the room was respectful and enraptured, from the cluster of fans singing back all the words with their elbows on the stage, to the couple next to me at the bar making out. At one point, the male in that pairing turned to me and said, “she’s pretty solid.” Assuming that he was talking to me about Lady Lamb and not his date, I agreed.
If you missed out on the show, we have photography from Lauren Hanson, of both the main act and opener Luke Rathborne, another fellow Maine-based singer/songwriter with a preference for the electric guitar.
– Kevin B
Lockeland Springsteen 