Got tickets to see Kathleen Edwards and Patty Griffin at the Waterville Opera House on Wednesday, July 22, and then almost forgot about it with the other stuff going on this Summer. We took off from Sedgwick early afternoon on a misty/foggy-but-clearing day and had a pleasant drive on 139 over to Waterville. We checked into the Holiday Inn, hung out for a bit, and then headed downtown to pick up some brownies at Holy Cannoli, and then to the Silver Street Tavern for dinner.
Settled into our nice seats just off the aisle in the orchestra, row F, and admired their lovely theater. Edwards came on right on time, and boy did I like her set.
She had made a big hit with her early albums, then took a long break from music, and a few years ago re-started her career. I wanted to see her at GRF last year, but had missed her. The one time I had seen her was at GRF in 2009, soon before her early career started to go downhill. I hadn't liked her, she played solo and seemed to be trying to be a female, early Dylan ... all sharp edges and witticisms.
But in 2026 she's a mellow veteran, played with a marvelous accompanist on guitar (Matt Sucich), and was just delightful. She opened with her great song, Asking for Flowers, also did her early hits Hockey Skates and 6 O'Clock News, covered a Neil Young song (Comes a Time), and just had a great sound. Sucich had a classic Telecaster and a classic Gibson electric, but mostly stuck to an acoustic. On Hockey Skates he played an acoustic with a pickup and got the lead guitar on that song so well. Edwards picked up a fiddle for Comes a Time and again, it sounded perfect. I've never had complaints about the sound in the Opera House, and last night it was fantastic.
The Griffin came on for a long set, with Michael Longoria on drums and percussion (and later electric piano) and David Pulkingham on guitar. She was fantastic too! She did pretty much all new stuff, except for opening with the gospel song, Move Up. But no need to re-hash her old stuff, she's such a talented musician that anything she plays is riveting. She's a folkie of course, but has such a great blues voice, authentic, emotional, and wounded but strong.
Patty moved to mandolin for one song, and then to electric piano for another. Perhaps part of what makes her sound so authentic is that she's got a New England voice, not the accent of a New Englander, but the way we all talk. She mentioned growing up in Old Town (ME) of course, her French-Canadian mother, and all the family she had in the house. Another delightful set!
Then back to the Holiday Inn by 10:15 or so, and soon to bed.
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