by Jim McCoy

Some would suggest that the truest measure of a song's quality is whether or not the emotions that give rise to the penning of the piece are capable of being expressed effectively to an audience using just a voice and the accompaniment of a lone instrument, such as an acoustic guitar or piano. Similarly, many would argue that the most accurate gauge of an artist's talent is his ability to hold the attention of an audience under such stripped-down circumstances. Those who subscribe to such theories would certainly have found both the musical offerings and performance by Ray LaMontagne this past Thursday in Philadelphia to be most worthy.

Looking soulfully haggard, LaMontagne took the stage alone at approximately 9:15 and approached the microphone with only acoustic guitar in hand. Without acknowledging the audience, he slowly began to strum the opening chords to the fifth track off his stellar debut, Trouble (RCA Records, 2004), transforming a solid - but not spectacular - studio lament of a man helplessly faced with his love being in the arms of another into an almost gut-wrenching live performance.

The crowd was so quiet as to hear a pin drop for most of the evening, which LaMontagne noted from the stage. (He explained that crowds generally drink and talk through his performances until they hear something they recognize, then they stop and sing along.) Surely, the small size of the venue makes conversation and even random applause during performances a bit awkward. But the fact of the matter - not considered by the soft-spoken LaMontagne - is that the audience simply sat in a stunned silence due to the quality of the performances. When fans began calling out requests following the evening's eighth offering, Shelter, one audience member yelled, "It really doesn't matter," acknowledging that it was highly unlikely that LaMontagne would deliver anything less than an inspired performance for any tune that evening.

LaMontagne was joined by upright bass player Chris Thomas following the evening's third number, moving along his instrument with equal parts power and grace as he incorporated some smooth sliding and adept use of natural harmonics into his bass lines. Hold You in My Arms found a drummer friend of LaMontagne's from "back home" providing a solid beat that further elevated music that was already powerful with only LaMontagne himself on stage.

The arrangements on several songs were altered in order to be more effective in a duo or trio format. How Come was slowed down to a trippy, deliberate groove with phased vocals that did not leave one wanting for the electric guitar lines put down by Ethan Johns on the studio recording. Forever My Friend was raised to an inspired level - even rocking – making one muse that a well played sax solo would have provided a perfect compliment as the song rode out toward its end.

While LaMontagne proved that his live performances can meet or even exceed those found on his studio release, even more significant was the fact that the newer material leads one to believe that the next studio release will contain some tracks that will be every bit as good (or better) than the offerings found on Trouble.

Still Can't Feel the Gin, performed solo acoustic in the third slot, will become even stronger once the full studio treatment of double-tracked acoustic guitars, bass, percussion and strings are applied. Danielle is an uncharacteristically raunchy 70's style rocker - with a complementing mellow break - in which LaMontagne applies his unique voice with a raw power not seen anywhere on his debut. The show’s closer, Can I Stay, was a tune so powerful and poignant - even performed solo - that it would be difficult to imagine it not being one of LaMontagne's best -received tunes once recorded and brought to the masses.

In another time - before hip hop became the choice of a generation - an artist possessed of LaMontagne's pure talent would be a regular on the arena tour circuit by now. The opportunity for his fans to be treated to an intimate performance like that delivered last Thursday would never have occurred. Then again, it's quite possible that the artist would rather have his music performed in venues that won't swallow up his acoustic guitar sound like a cavernous basketball arena might. Here’s hoping that LaMontagne finds enough commercial success that he is able to dictate these choices on his own.

Labels: Ray LaMontagne