REVIEW: Mikaela Davis: Live at The EARL - ATL
The harpist brings her top-tier band to The EARL for a cosmic country concert
Before she ever took the stage, Mikaela Davis established a commanding presence at The EARL on Friday night. As fans trickled through the back door, curious onlookers approached the stage to see the 6-foot-tall Camac Blue harp in person. The looming, alien instrument held the crowd's focus while fans studied its elegant curves, pedals, and tuners. The night started with a short set by Nic Panken, playing selections from his recently released album Near Divine or Merely Rhyme. Because the harp divided the stage in two, Panken performed to one side of the room as the audience naturally shifted to face him. Panken's beautiful, folky songs were a hit with the crowd, who listened intently to every note.
Davis came out wearing a two-piece floral Western-inspired outfit, with fringe down the sleeves that swayed like wind chimes when her outstretched arm plucked the strings. Her performance was mesmerizing as she tilted the instrument onto her shoulder, pushing the harp's pedals to change tunings, while operating a bank of effects traditionally belonging to guitarists. Though the harp initially grabs your attention, once the group launched into their set, it became a part of the sonic landscape of one of the most talented genre-defying bands. To the left of Davis was Kurt Johnson, the multi-instrumentalist whose pedal steel added layers of texture to the sound of the band, ranging from country-style slides to psychedelic space sounds. To Davis's right was guitarist and songwriting partner John Lee Shannon, a frequent collaborator of hers from Grateful Shred and Circles Around The Sun. Shannon had the guitar chops and a bright, cutting tone to be a focal point in the band, but kept his playing reserved enough not to steal the spotlight. Anchoring the entire operation was the tight rhythm section of bassist Shane McCarthy and drummer Alex Coté. Their steady, locked-in grooves provided the sturdy foundation that allowed the other members to branch into cosmic explorations.
This band would stand out on skill alone, but Davis's songwriting, harp, keyboards, and vocals elevate the group to another tier. The band's sound effortlessly blends folk with country and rock, using live performances as a vessel for deep exploration. Davis is as much influenced by The Grateful Dead (having appeared alongside multiple members in the past) as she is by jazz greats like Alice Coltrane, resulting in a unique intersection that's firmly in the cosmic country realm. A set highlight arrived when opener Nic Panken rejoined the band onstage to lead the group through a near-divine cover of Neil Young's "Unknown Legend." As Davis said her farewells to the room, she expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to play at the historic EARL. It proved a natural pairing between an independent artist and a cherished room, with the Atlanta crowd turning out in full force to return the love.
Article and photos by Joe Chiarella. Please credit @joe.takes.pictures or @art.seen.atl if reposting on social media.
