Adding immeasurably to the cheer and intense love for the headliners by the enthusiastic crowd was opener Michelle Malone, who was celebrating the release of her 13th CD, Stronger Than You Think (SBS Records). Her largely acoustic set included songs from the new release such as “When I Grow Up,” “Fish in a Tree” and “Birthday Song (I’m So Glad),” which was dedicated to Saliers.
Then, Indigo Girls took the stage and tore through a set packed with well-loved classics (“Mystery,” “Beauty Queen Sister,” “Power of Two,” “Reunion, “Shame On You”) and newer material (“Spread the Pain Around,” “Rise of the Black Messiah,” “Happy in the Sorrow Key”).
Throughout the evening, Ray and Salier thanked their audience for staying so supportive for three decades while trying to please the frisky crowd by playing requests. On one selection Ray stated, “We have not done that one for so long, and we could not do it justice. … We don’t want to disappoint.”
If many of the screaming fans did not get to hear a personal favorite, it could not be because Ray, Salier and Malone (who joined them onstage at several points) did not try. After a set that went more than two hours, they came back for a riotous encore that included “Closer to Fine,” which seemed to satisfy everyone present.