Lyle - Love It

Our experience with the Ravinia Metra last night was vastly superior to the last time. My advice: if the music appeals to current or ex-fratboys, don't take the train.

Lyle Lovett and HIs Large Band were wonderful. We were on the lawn, which was nice, but I think I prefer the pavilion. As Lyle said at one point (one of the few bits of Witty Banter we could actually hear), "Ravinia is one of the only places we play where more people can't see the stage than can." If only the pavilion tickets hadn't been a minimum of thirty bucks.

Anyway, yeah, good stuff. Lots of music from the more recent albums that I don't have, more of the straight-ahead country than I'm used to with his music. Aside from his disgustingly great voice, the things that appeal to me most about Lyle Lovett are his disregard for genre, and his interesting, quirky lyrics. I don't care for the word quirky, but it's the best I can think of. I mean, come on, "I go for penguins. Penguins are so sensitive to my needs." What?

They didn't play Penguins last night, but they did play three songs, consecutively, from Pontiac, which is the album I would recommend as a good introduction to his music, and is fanTAStic. It also has Lisa's favorite Lyle song, and one of mine too.

The Large Band that he's touring with is a large country band, not a jazz band like he used on the album Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. Guitars, mandolin, bass (double and electric), cello, fiddle, pedal steel, grand piano, drums, and percussion. Late in the show they brought on local gospel choir Malcolm Williams and Voices of Great Faith, so the stage was packed.

All in a all, an excellent time, even if it put us back home at midnight.