nick coury“You guys are rowdy; it’s so awesome,” said Indigo Girls guitarist and singer Emily Saliers at their concert in the Christopher Cohan Center on Jan. 16.
This view from Saliers summed up the emotion for the night. In a previous Mustang Daily interview with the other half of the indigo duo, Amy Ray said the band wanted the audience and listeners to feel “empowered and ready to face the day.” With the raw, human intensity of both the Indigo Girls and their friends opening band Three5Human, that is just what the night brought.
With all 1,282 seats full, the air was filled with not just the singing of the bands, but also the crowd. Three5Human, Atlanta natives, brought a new alternative feel to the stage with their politically-charged songs.
“There’s stuff going on in the world, and no one is seeing it,” said Trina Meades, Three5Human lead singer. “It’s not cool. We need to sing about it and play about it.”
Meade belted out her heartfelt lyrics similar to that of James Brown, but with the smoothness of folk singer Tracy Chapman. Her vocals were backed by the fast guitar playing of the bands’ Tommy Martin, reminiscent of a modern day Ritchey Sambora.
The Thursday party with its foot-stomping beats and the pumping bass lines marked the first time Three5Human has performed in California.
A 15-minute intermission broke up the sets of the show, and as the Indigo Girls entered the stage, the crowd erupted with screams and praise for the 25-year-old duo.
“We took it easy for a couple of months, and its still shocking that people still come (to see us),” Ray said.
Ray and Saliers rocked the PAC with an armada of instruments including a piano, accordion, electric banjo, mandolin and dual acoustic guitars. After about six songs, the duo began to take requests.
Throughout their 2-hour set, Ray played a few songs solo, adjoining her guitar with a harmonica.
After their set, the cheering crowd managed to lure the Indigo Girls back on stage where they were rejoined by Three5Human for an encore that rocked the crowd.