Blues For Life Your place for blues reviews and news.

Back on March 3rd I got to see Robert Cray live for the second time. I had previously seen him last summer at the Wolftrap Filene Center (link) and I got to say he was amazing at thirty feet, so imagine how amazing he was ten feet away. Now sure I may seem to be obsessed with distance but it's not my fault I swear. You see it's just that I've been spoiled; spoiled rotten by the Birchmere (link). Right in Alexandria, Virginia just outside Washington DC lies the coolest (and only) roadhouse I've ever seen, the Birchmere. I first found out about it last year when I was hunting down Buddy Guy tickets, well it turns out he wasn't got going to be at the Brichmere. So it turns out just a jump up I-95 and I can catch some really awesome acts coming through an old fashion roadhouse.

Well about now you can guess where I saw Robert Cray right? I was maybe the twentieth person in line out of a sold out house of over two hundred people. Needless to say I had some really nice seats at one of the closest tables to the stage, slightly offset to the left. I need to get my camera phone working so I can really give you'll an idea just how close I was. From estimation though I'd say it was about ten feet away; a really great view.

Honestly I think Robert Cray is the most intense player I have ever seen. He is completely focus on every note and every line; yet at the same time never forgets the audience. I've seen phenomenal players forget that they are playing for people, but every time I've seen Robert (even when I was far away) he never forgets the audience. He played his usual stuff, straddling R&B and the Blues with tunes like "I'm Walkin'" "Bad Influence" and "Smoking Gun." He also played my favorite song of his "I was Warned"; so that was really sweet.

Over all it was an incredible show as expected and I can't wait to see him again. Also I can wait to go back to the Brichmere, which will be sooner rather than later as I again have Buddy Guy tickets for March 26th, and Bobby Bland in May.