David Gray + Lisa Hannigan - Paramount Theatre (Seattle, WA Nov. 5, 2009)

David Gray stopped in Seattle for a night I’ll never forget. This was one of the last stops in the U.S. for his new album tour, Draw The Line so it looks like you’ll have to head to Europe to see him now!

The opener was Lisa Hannigan, who has worked with many musicians in her career but is perhaps most recognizable from the days she collaborated with Damien Rice. She came out with her debut, Sea Sew, in 2008, and it’s fantastic. Her voice is powerful, but her stage presence is soft and unobtrusive. On stage with her for the entire set were a harmonium and a mushroom lamp, which both evoked a great deal of character and added to her performance. Her talent was well perceived with her ability to play different instruments, many of which I don’t see often. Hannigan is a very bright musician with a great career ahead of her.

I thought it was a real treat seeing David Gray live, especially since it was my first time not only seeing his live performance, but also photographing and writing about him. I first found out about him in front of a Cost Plus in Bellevue, WA about nine years ago when I saw his album White Ladder sitting on the ground. Needless to say, I picked it up and I don’t think I’ve thought much of that moment since it happened. I didn’t know it then, but what a unique way to find out about one of your top ten favorite bands. Looks like David and his band stirred up some memories, long forgotten.

There wasn’t much singing along during the show, which isn’t necessarily bad. David Gray has paid his dues, so I assumed there would be more of it. The seating bugged me, especially for songs like, “You’re The World To Me” and “Babylon,” as there is nothing worse than being in a tight seating area when you want to boogie!

“Slow Motion” and “This Year’s Love” on the piano were some memorable moments of his show: moving, uplifting, and plenty of emotion stirred into them. We didn’t get to hear “Lucky Bags,” but I don’t blame him; I’d knock that song off the list, too. Compared to new songs like “Fugitive” or “First Chance,” I’d take any of the latter.

David played a few songs in his encore. “Please Forgive Me” stuck the most, which I believe was his last song. Now, I was in a trance and it wasn’t the first time it happened that night, but if my memory serves me well, then it was an amazing way to end the show. This song is different from his others songs, and I love it. Seeing an extended version with David getting the crowd into it was truly amazing.

I won’t miss a chance to see either Lisa Hannigan or David Gray when they come around again. On the way into the Paramount, I asked a woman if David Gray puts on a good show. Her eyes widened and she looked at me nodding her head. Now that I’ve seen him live, I completely agree. Great live show!

DOWNLOAD: David Gray - Black Dog (Led Zeppelin cover) (MP3) or Follow us for more David Gray MP3s (Twitter)

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