The Milk Carton Kids, a Grammy-nominated folk duo, played at the Jefferson Theater last week. It was an intensely intimate affair, complete with fairy lights roped around the stage, heavy interaction with the audience and a single spotlight on two eccentric, flat-picking music extraordinaires — Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan. The concert was an experience unlike many others, for these two singer-guitarists performed with a soft subtlety, with almost a quiet indifference to their audience, capturing the magic of their performance.
Pattengale was the first to step on stage, introducing opening act Caitlin Canty. He seemed perturbed, as if he were astonished at the sight of his audience.
“This next act –– well, I don’t want to use the word ‘girl,’ because she isn’t just a girl, but I don’t want to say ‘woman’ because she is definitely not a woman yet,” he mused, in a manner reminiscent of telling a close friend a story over an intimate dinner.
For audience members who are not familiar with The Milk Carton Kids, such unabashed sincerity may be confusing, but many who were there knew it was part of Pattengale’s charm. Even new listeners quickly fell for it as the concert wore on.
In the first half hour, The Milk Carton Kids played a series of songs seamlessly with no pause in between. This was essentially the band’s introduction, and in a way, it provoked listeners to sit back, listen and trust the music. The band played many songs with no explanation or allusion to the titles of the songs, but a few pieces such as “Monterey” and “Michigan” were recognized, much to the audience’s delight.
If Pattengale played the charming talker, then Ryan was definitely the elusive one of the duo. He remained quiet throughout his performance, only speaking to quietly combat Pattengale’s wit. Yet he added to the enchantment cloaked around The Milk Carton Kids, whether by gazing up into the room, his face lost in his music or backing out of the spotlight between songs, as if he needed to rest, unseen by the audience.
“Stop criticizing the audience for their reactions!” he snapped in good humor to Pattengale, provoking laughter as they performed their finale song.
Overall, The Milk Carton Kids were at their best during this performance –– delivering a hugely intimate affair, stripped of any grandiosity or pretension. Their performance recalled the reason why they have received so many accolades, for it was raw and sincere and rich in lyrics and melody.
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