Summer of the Arts - Working at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts: Good Vibes Only

The weather has a big effect on my job and being on the lawn, I'm especially exposed to the heat the elements. This past show was almost 4 hours and the high was about 99 degrees. Needles to say it was very uncomfortable but luckily, there were some great artists who played a great show regardless of the temperature. Barenaked Ladies, believe it or not, have been around for 30 years! They formed in Ontario, Canada when guitarists Ed Robertson and Steve Page started jamming together. Their first couple tapes were only put out in Canada but the gained a following around Toronto as they did gigs around the city. They released their first album in 1992 and achieved their greatest success with their album Stunt. The song "One Week" went to #1 in the charts and their next couple albums sold well. Their pop sound juxtaposed the punk and grunge movement of the 90's but their comedic lyrics and laid back style endeared them to many people. They are also known for being pioneers in the computer age and for making their music accessible via the internet before many other artists did the same. Founding member Page left in 2009 but the band has gone on and their albums have continued to sell. Among other things, they are also known for composing and performing the theme song for the show "The Big Band Theory". Now in their late 40's, the band still has that fun loving attitude and a knack for making catchy tunes.

Barenaked Ladies had two pretty famous openers. First up was KT Tunstall. She first came to prominence in the mid 2000's with the songs "Suddenly I See" and "Black Horse & the Cherry Tree". Sincer her popular debut, the Scottish singer has released 4 more albums and she did a great 30 minute solo set that clearly showed her talent. Next up was Better Than Ezra, an alternative band that is also celebrating their 30 year anniversary. Hailing from New Orleans, the band has had a similar trajectory as Barenaked Ladies and they gave a good if a little routine show. By the time Barenaked Ladies came on, the sun had thankfully set and they were able to really get the crowd going. Now as fun as they are, they aren't the best live band in the world. Robertson's vocals aren't very strong and towards the end of the show, they did a medley of covers that I personally could've done without. But like a lot of pop bands, they rocked harder live than in the studio and their sing-along songs were perfect for this show. They're a good band but I think the thing I liked the best was they also seemed to best friends and genuinely funny. We've had a lot of more serious artists lately so it was nice to relax with a more laid back concert. They played all their hits and the sold out crowd of 7000 was loving it. If only it wasn't so damn hot.

My favorite part of the show was when they performed "If I Had a $1,000,000". It was already my favorite songs and its quintessential Barenaked Ladies!

Looking forward to more shows in the future!