Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs - June 7th at Pritzker Pavilion

Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs came to town on Tuesday, playing their brand of folk music before a sold out crowd at Pritzker Pavilion. Despite temperatures near 95 degrees, the band endured oppressive heat to deliver an evening filled with fan favorites and a couple of covers. The 18-song setlist, comprised mostly of their latest release God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise, gave the audience a chance to see them stretch out some songs and inject energy into others.

As he casually walked onto the stage for a solo performance of “Like Rock & Roll Radio”, the harmonica never sounded so worn or beaten. One of my favorites off the new album, it really displayed the simplicity of his work. The band joined in the fun, particularly on “Repo Man”, one of the few upbeat songs played. One of his earliest hits “Shelter” was accompanied by a great slide guitar, giving it a bit more depth, if not some new life.

As much as I enjoy the new album, I was really hoping for some new music. The middle part of the show was identical to last year’s tour, aside from a cover of the Byrd’s “Blue Canadian Rockies”. Also, there was not a single song from his second album, Til The Sun Turns Black. By the time he got to “Trouble” & “Jolene” later in the evening, the crowd was anxious and appreciative. After a brief break, the show ended with a 2-song encore of “Let It Be Me” and “All the Wild Horses”. They are touring all summer, so please check them out. Also, if you are interested in concert posters, they have 50 autographed posters at each show, so get there early.

Setlist:
1. Rock & Roll Radio
2. Hold You In My Arms
3. For The Summer
4. Beg, Steal or Borrow
5. Repo Man
6. Mama Tried (w/the Secret Sisters) (Merle Haggard Cover)
7. Shelter
8. Devil in the Jukebox
9. Are We Really Through
10. NYC is Killing Me
11. God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise
12. Blue Canadian Rockies (The Byrds Cover)
13. Trouble
14. Old Before Your Time
15. Jolene
16. Henry Nearly Killed Me (It’s a Shame)
Encore:
17. Let It Be Me
18. All the Wild Horses