CityLife

Ray LaMontagne

HAPPY IN THE SHADOWS: LaMontagne

WHAT is the world coming to when a potentially knickerless fan storms the stage at a Ray LaMontagne gig?

This is a concert where the main man sits in the shadows between songs, mumbles thankyous to the adoring crowd and looks almost embarrassed at the applause he is given.

LaMontagne is a reluctant star, heckling and stage invasions are not on the agenda and both were dismissed by LaMontagne as he worked his way through a seamless set of his greatest hits and songs from new album 'Gossip from the Grain.'

The tall, thin, bearded American folk singer stands to the left of his band, barely registering the audience and his lack of activity on stage mean many of his songs are best enjoyed with eyes shut.

Walking onto to rapturous applause, the crowd were soon stunned into silence as the melodic and uplifting 'Be Here Now' kicked into gear, rumbling in like a summer breeze.

Shelter

A storming rendition of Shelter woke the crowd from their slumber as LaMontagne growled and howled into the microphone, kicking his feet into the ground as he hammered out one of his classics - this was him at his animated best.

After crowd-pleasing 'Trouble', LaMontagne began to relax, an anecdote was even offered from what must be one of the most private of singers when he invited his producer and support act Josh Ritter and Ethan Johns on stage for a performance of Nebraska-inspired 'Hey Me, Hey Mama.'

Helped out by his accomplished band of musicians LaMontagne goes from one hit to the next, rocking out to 'Three More Days' and just as easily sobering the mood with 'Till The Sun Turns Black' and 'All the Wild Horses.'

An encore was an unexpected treat, from an artists who probably doesn't respond well to the foot stomps of an audience but he duly obliges and came back with a fantastic version of Bob Dylan's 'The Man in Me' - perhaps he was enjoying himself after all.

Just as he faded in, he faded away with the most heart-breaking redenition of 'Jolene', once again stunning the audience into silence.