When stripped of all the glitz and glamour, barely a handful of popular artists today could hold their own on a colossal stage. When the latest chart-topper stops by John Paul Jones Arena, we expect pyrotechnics and big smoke screens, and it is acceptable - even perhaps expected - that the music may get lost in the show. Part of what makes Charlottesville a great place for any music lover, then, is the variety of places for different musicians to showcase their individual talents, just as The Avett Brothers did this past Sunday at the Charlottesville Pavilion.
The air was a bit chillier than usual, and the sun had already set by the time opening act Grace Potter and The Nocturnals greeted the crowd and started playing their way through a rollicking, passionate set. Potter - who's part Tina Turner, part Sheryl Cole, with a little Courtney Love craziness thrown in for good measure - skirted around like she owned the pavilion, and the crowd ate it up. Whether behind the piano, guitar or with a simple tambourine, Potter and her band blazed through a tight set of catchy tunes and played the small and big moments with equal zeal.
Opening acts are always hit or miss, and to be fair, it is a tough job to have, but Potter excelled at making the audience forget about the main event that they were waiting for. When The Avett Brothers emerged later in the evening, the mixed crowd of young, old, families, University students and local residents was quick to take its desired place around the welcoming Pavilion and was ready for the Brothers to put their talents on display. Luckily, they followed through accordingly.
Opening with "And It Spread," the brothers Avett played an hour-and-a-half set to a low-key but excitable crowd that was eager to sing along. The mood ranged from somber to joyous, funky to country as the band pushed their musicality to the forefront - rarely did a song go by without one of the brothers playing the banjo, guitar, piano or a combination in the same song. If the show ever seemed to verge on becoming too placid, the band picked things up by rocking out in its authentic bluegrass-rock style. If their voices were not pitch-perfect at times, no one could claim that they lacked emotion, and this only adds to the element of genuineness that The Avett Brothers inspire.
Like traveling on back-country roads, the show reveled in the simple things that life can offer. Watching The Avett Brothers, you get the idea that they have traveled on these roads a lot during their young lifetimes, and you cannot help but hope that they'll find their way back to Charlottesville soon.
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