Karen Ponzio Photos.
Goodnight Blue Moon
As the outside temperature last night stayed a bit warmer than your typical October, inside Best Video the atmosphere was super cool, and not just because the AC was on. Two bands — Portland, Ore.’s Blue Darling and New Haven’s own Goodnight Blue Moon — made Wednesday more celebratory than just the halfway point to the weekend with their sweet harmonies, lush melodies, and lyrical loveliness.
“This place is special,” said Craig Rupert, who along with Ezza Rose made up the folk duo Blue Darling. He mentioned that he himself had not played in Connecticut for around 10 years, though they had been booked to play New Haven with Goodnight Blue Moon two years ago and it didn’t happen.
“This is the blue bill,” said Rose. But there was nothing to feel blue about after hearing this duo’s set. They included songs they had played when they were in another band together 15 years ago, as well as songs from their EP Folded Hands, which was released this past summer and was available on CD.
Noting that the two-year delay meant they now had merch to sell, Rupert added that “all musicians know how lucrative this business is,” which garnered quite a few laughs throughout the space. He also pointed out that some of the merch had the phrase “shut up and cry,” on it which he called “apropos.”
“We know who we are,” he said to more laughter.
Blue Darling.
While their songs spoke of sadness and hopefulness, and got political at one point, the poignant marrying of honey-dripped harmonies and acoustic guitars laid bare the duo’s penchant for getting to the heart of the matter and offering reassurance. Nowhere was this more evident than with their final song, “The Longest Winter,” which Rupert called their “Covid song.” They each wrote pieces of it independently while in isolation.
“Here’s to all the brokenhearted, look at all the brokenhearted alone and blue in your rooms,” the song began, ending with the line “alive in my wildest dreams” repeated. The song and its performers, like many during that harrowing time, kept the music alive. The audience responded with loud and loving appreciation.
Blue Darling will be playing again this Friday in New London. If you are anywhere near there, I suggest checking them out yourself, especially if you could use the soothing.
Speaking of soothing, the power that Goodnight Blue Moon has to create a good mood is legendary. This reporter has been a local music fan long before she was writing about the scene, and has seen this band live too many times to count over the past 12 years. If you are not a fan of my unbridled enthusiasm I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to have to brace yourself for more of it.
On this evening the band was composed of five members performing in a more stripped-down fashion. Erik Elligers on guitar and vocals; Nancy Matlack on cello, banjo, keys, and vocals; Vicky Hayes Wepler on fiddle and vocals; Mat Crowley on mandolin and vocals; and their newest member Chris Cavaliere on guitar filled the Best Video stage with song, story, and a sweet camaraderie that only added to the charm.
“That was fantastic,” Elligers said about Blue Darling, then added that they would take their lead and begin with “something political” that they wrote after the Women’s March in 2016 called “Pushback,” off their album Dawning Dream.
The song began with Elligers solo on vocals and guitar, the others joining in slowly, building the music but keeping the lyrics clear and bright. “We will never be defeated, we are listening to reason, we are many, our voices are strong,” Elligers sang.
Harmonies were a huge part of this set as well, from two- to four-part at times, with Crowley taking over lead for a song that he wrote called “These Things.” In addition to more selections from their album, they did a select choice of covers, everything from Dolly Parton’s “Those Memories of You” to Bob Dylan’s “Song To Woody,” which delighted this reporter, who stands firm in her preference for Dylan covers over original versions (no angry emails, please).
Another highlight of this band’s live shows is the musicians’ generosity as both performers and human beings. Each one had their moment to shine musically, and Elligers even stopped to welcome Cavaliere to the band, noting to the audience that they should check out his music with his project Symphonic Bodega (this reporter recommends that as well).
The hour-long set felt fresh and invigorating. When Elligers said they had a few more, the response from the audience was along the lines of “yes, please, just keep playing.” They kept the party going, adding a new song called “Overachiever” and one of the first songs they ever wrote, “New England.”
They even cheered on the audience — including encouragement to “go Vote” after noting an audience member with an early voting sticker on — and invited everyone to come see them play in Fairfield this Friday. I also suggest you do that if you are heading that way. Goodnight Blue Moon is a band you can see twice in one week and still hope to see again soon after.
They ended the night with “Captain’s Church,” a song firmly rooted in New Haven history. It was spirited and dynamic, just like the band itself, just like the show itself, and no one was blue by the time it was over.