Mikaela Davis and Southern Star @ Songbyrd [DC] - 11/11/2019
Mikaela Davis may have had to cancel her show the night before in Philly, but she was in high spirits on this night at Songbyrd in DC. The classically-trained harp player has been touring places that her instrument usually doesn't show up, like on the stage of Lock'n Festival performing with Bob Weir. The Grateful Dead admiration goes a long way - in fact, this tour featured a two-set performance from Davis and her band, one of which was dedicated to The Dead.
Mikaela Davis and Southern Star at Songbyrd (Photo by Mauricio Castro)
The first set featured highlights of her solo output, including the excellent "Other Lover" and "In My Groove," plus two new songs tentatively called "Promise" and "Cinderella." Her harp meshed well with the subtle slide guitars to give her John Congleton-produced debut album a more psychedelic and southern vibe. The second set was a cover of The Grateful Dead's 1969 live album Live/Dead. While it's odd to see a band recreate an inherently improvisational sound, the album is well-received for a reason, and the performance left no doubt about The Dead's influence on Davis and her music.
Mikaela Davis's debut album Delivery is out now through Rounder Records.
