WesAlum Plug for Sherman

Tonight's Zoo Tunes event at the Woodland Park Zoo featured Shawn Colvin with an opening set (NEARLY an even split, which was cool) from my fellow Wes Theater major, Dar Williams.

I was stoked to see Dar, who I haven't seen live since she was at SOU's Vox Pop series while touring in support of Mortal City (which Dar friends will recognize is a while back). Anyway, long story short, Dar is big on a lot of issues that have good linkage in the Northwest - Enviro, GLBT... I think it comes from our Northwest / Northeast Liberal Stereotype Training :) ANYway, while mixing in some good support of otters (critters she has a solid connection with and most recently she saw while kayaking the Sound in BC) and leading into her wonderful song about common ground and open communication "The Christians and the Pagans", she mentioned yet another Wes Alum (we are everywhere, btw... here, here, here, and here, just for starters in one career category), fellow class of '90er Bill Sherman, who, surprise, surprise, I've been working with. Dar's shout out to the Sherman campaign was on the strength of his Enviro cred, and how concern for the environment transcends party (Dar was turned to Bill's Green cred by a conservation-oriented Republican - they do exist - remember Mark Hatfield?). So in addition to a great hour long set of music (that included two tunes from her debut album, and a couple of other "older" pieces, plus some great stuff from her more recent work), we also got a Wes vibe going.

The Colvin with Williams show hits Jacksonville tomorrow, so all my LOCAL friends in Southern Oregon can catch them at Britt (where they start an hour later and can go longer, so there MIGHT be more of both of them!!) And then they are back to Portland to the Zoo Amphitheater on Friday night, so all the Blue Oregon readers (Jeff, I mean you) can catch it, too...

It is JUST Dar and her guitar, and then JUST Shawn and her guitar, which is a great way to listen to these two. I mean, I like backing bands and all, but *shrug* I prefer this set list in the most basic form it can be delivered.