Summer of the Arts - Working at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts: I Choose You

After much deliberation, I've decided that I have a new favorite show of the summer! While John Butler Trio still blew me away, Sara Bareilles put on an amazing show and my introduction to her music couldn't have been better. After graduating from UCLA (such a shame) in 2002, Sara began playing small gigs until her first album release in 2006. Her first single, "Love Song", launched her career in 2007 and she's never looked back since. Her crafty melodies and quirky lyrics make her music very unique in the pop world and she remains one of the great artists of today. I personally think her music is very refreshing with its originality and her personality on stage makes her very approachable as an artist. Along with performing her own songs, she did a couple covers, including a spot-on cover of "Chandelier" by Sia. While I honestly find that song annoying, I give credit to Sara for pulling of the tough vocals effortlessly. The openers were also good although couldn't be more different. Emily King relied on softer music with muted drums and guitar. She had a solid voice and put on a good show. The next artist was Lucius. They used strong dynamic changes and heavy guitar amplification for their sound. I liked them better than Emily simply because they rocked more and seemed more comfortable on the big stage. Sara of course was the highlight and her remarkable performance really made me appreciate being able to see all these wonderful artists this summer.

This show was sold out but turned out to be one of the most laid back performances of the night. People behaved themselves very well and we had almost no problems with patrons. The rain looked like it was going to hit us hard and I got caught in a missive rainstorm on the way to work. Despite this, the rain skipped Wolf Trap once again and everyone was treated to a wonderful night under the full moon. The only difficult part of the show was the length, complete with three acts and two intermissions (one of which was 30 minutes.) Other than that though, the show allowed for most of the ushers to enjoy the night and take in what a full house at the Trap is like.

My favorite part of the show was when she performed "Gravity" with just herself and a piano. At the very end of the song, the rest of the band kicked in and it proved to be the showstopper of the night. A fantastic performance that left me amazed.

DC