The songs of Dar Williams were a near-constant soundtrack to my teenage years, yet somehow I drifted away from her work over the past decade. When my friend Erynn suggested we go see her, I was surprised but immediately agreed. I’m so glad I did. By the end of the show I was practically giddy with remembered – and renewed – enthusiasm for this amazing artist.
Emily Kurn, a songwriter billed as being from Southcentral AK, opened tonight’s show. I wasn’t particularly impressed by her. The songs were clever, but not more than that, and her voice and guitar technique were somewhat sparse.
When Dar Williams took the stage (after a too-lengthy break), the power of her voice and depth of her playing were almost breathtaking. Most of the songs Williams played were new to me because of the unintentional break I’ve taken from her oeuvre, but a couple were old favorites. To this former die-hard teenage fan, the best part of seeing Williams live may have been getting to hear her talk about her work and her life between songs.
Of course, the songs were pretty fantastic. Of the two I remembered, “The Babysitter’s Here,” never rated as my very favorite, but “The Christians and the Pagans,” which hadn’t crossed my mind in years, seems to be aging well. Williams’ newer stuff is melodic, contemplative, and personal, and the range and variety of her voice and playing are as unique and beautiful as ever. I think I still want to be her when I grow up.
