Shannon Lay Brings Her Good Vibes To Portland's Aladdin Theater
On a cold and rainy Sunday in Portland, Oregon, Shannon Lay took the stage at the crowded Aladdin Theatre. As the plucking of her guitar and smooth toned voice resonated throughout the venue, it felt like the perfect soundtrack for the mood and weather of the past few weeks.
Lay’s voice and musical style is what we would describe as a cross between Joni Mitchell and Florence Welch. Checking practically all the boxes of an acoustic indie lover’s dream. With beautiful vocal runs throughout her singing, and an extremely powerful range that could impress some of the harshest critics, it was truly a refreshing sound to hear. Lay’s voice is both filled with emotion and intensity. You can hear this clearly throughout some of her song’s such as, “A Thread to Find,” and “Sure” of her latest album release, Geist.
As Lay moved throughout her set, the vibe in the room kept intensifying. The crowd became more and more enthralled with the bright orange haired singer on stage. Lay sang about topics such as growth, transition, and finding love, which the crowd seemed to really connect with. As many other opener solo acts have described, it seldom feels as if you truly have the crowds full and undivided attention, but Lay truly captured the audience without a doubt. You could hear a pin drop from back of the venue. The silence and attention the audience had on Lay was truly remarkable.
As Lay finished up her set, the crowd cheered and applauded. It was a beautiful 45 minutes of pure artistry and moments that later looking back on could put you into an extremely appreciative state of Lay’s talent.
Lay is currently finishing up on the United States portion of her tour supporting the band Whitney and has some European dates coming up in mid-April as well. If Shannon Lay is touring anywhere near you in the future, her show is definitely worth catching.
Review & Photos by: Taylor Sher
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