Throughout the day, the scattered rain seemed to make every person excited to see My Morning Jacket perform at the Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park grow more and more nervous. However, the skies cleared in the afternoon and set the scene for a massively successful start to the summer concert season for the WTTS listener. There was a perfect chill in the air that made everyone instantly comfortable as soon as they took their place to watch the legendary band.

Thursday, May 26th, My Morning Jacket played a WTTS show with The Barr Brothers to an eager and faithful audience. The 5-piece band consisted of keys, drums, bass, and two guitars, one of which being played by the impeccable Jim James. The band formed in 1998 and began attracting massive audiences throughout the 2000s due to both their incredible live shows and experimental records. The entire band has been involved in an impressive amount of side projects, but always comes back together to make their music (like their most recent, “The Waterfall” in 2015).

Thursday night, Jim James emerged on stage looking like an actual superhero. His signature rock ‘n’ roll mane blowing in the wind, his cape of artwork, and his arms raised in the air made the audience believe he might actually take flight; He’s got that kind of presence. My Morning Jacket opened the evening with “Compound Fracture” followed by “The Way That He Sings.”

During “I’m Amazed” early in the set, the audience marched along as if pledging their allegiance to My Morning Jacket, summertime, Indianapolis, or a combination of all three. Jim James really became Jim James with the guitar solo on “War Begun,” letting the high notes ring throughout the city. It sounded like a Slayer riff served on a bed of plush jam-band grooves. The following song, “Spring (Among The Living)” began with spooky howling while the entire audience raised their hands in unison like a battle cry from their fearless leader. A droning guitar lick sets in with Jim James’ deep, dark voice and suddenly they’re the most mature, sticky garage band these Hoosiers had ever seen.

Other highlights of the night included “Off The Record,” “State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U.), and “Wonderful (The Way I Feel),” in which Jim James played the song acoustic and solo. The audience paid attention like it was the State Of The Union Address. He was very clearly addressing his audience for one of the most gently uplifting songs in their repertoire.

Carl Broemer, the other guitarist (besides James) in the band who was named one of Rolling Stone’s “20 New Guitar Gods”, is actually from the north side of Indianapolis. He sang lead vocal on “Carried Away” so he and James’ harmonies were suddenly backward and for the My Morning Jacket fan it was hauntingly beautiful. Then, the song turned into the biggest jam of the night. It was hard to put a finger on what the changes were from measure to measure, but they were very much present and kept the trusting audience moving through the entire session.

My Morning Jacket closes the set with Parts 1 & 2 of “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream.” It is important to note that at this point in the evening (the end of the show) Jim James has not spoken once. No one has spoken from the stage. The entire performance flowed from song to song flawlessly in only the way that a trusting audience and musical talent like My Morning Jacket’s could make successful.

The band returned for an encore of “Steam Engine,” “Victory Dance,” “Anytime,” and “One Big Holiday.” During “Steam Engine,” Broemer played a super distorted saxophone that sounds like an electric guitar made out of brass. Eventually, James’ guitar and Broemer’s saxophone played notes in harmony followed by a more traditional, yet mind-blowing saxophone solo. Then…Jim James finally spoke:

“I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…That is Carl. And do you know where he came out on this earth?…Right the (expletive) here.” He went on to thank the crowd for spending the evening with them and that any place Carl is from, he loves it there. The audience cheered in an unspoken “We love you, too” as the rest of the encore took place. When My Morning Jacket exited the stage after the encore, Jim James needn’t say a word. He simply blew the audience kisses using his entire wingspan and the lawn was filled with love.

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On a chilly Sunday night, December 6th, the second WTTS Christmas Can Concert took place at the Bluebird in Bloomington. Fort Worth R&B and soul artist Leon Bridges took the stage for a sold-out show. There is no need to say that he won over the hearts of the audience because it was obvious throughout the evening that he already had reached each and every one of them.

Leon Bridges is a classic old soul in a young man’s body. The 26-year-old’s gospel roots so very clearly influence his soulful music, reminiscent of the greats like Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, and Otis Redding. Bridges is still on the rise as he signed with Columbia Records in 2014 after having played open-mic shows around Fort Worth for some time. DJ Spikes, a local Bloomington DJ playing vintage soul and R&B records, performed a set before Bridges took the stage. WTTS DJ Rob Humphrey introduced Leon Bridges and his band, all of whom had just come from performing on NBC’s Saturday Night Live the previous evening.

The band enters dressed very professionally with somewhat of a vintage twist that creates the mood of a 1960s R&B performance. Bridges enters and looks exactly the way he sounds. From his modern-day conk haircut to his mustard tweed suit, Leon Bridges looked quite perfect on the small club stage. The sweetest of sounds boomed throughout the Bluebird that night.

Spoken like a true gentleman, his first words to the audience were “Nice to meet you.” His 7-piece band included himself and one other vocalist, a saxophone, guitar, bass, drums, and organ. Bridges took time out of the show to introduce all the band members and was sure to add compliments or a quick story of their meeting. Bridges admittedly played many songs from his album, “Coming Home” (released in June 2015) and added some new music into the mix, too.

Leon Bridges’ sound is so much more than the “soul” or “R&B” label; It’s fresh but it’s authentic, and it’s the perfect meeting of yesterday and tomorrow. If you’ve heard his vintage voice, then you know that it is effortlessly like butter. His vocal runs and exquisite vintage dance moves transport you to an entirely different place and time and it is a pleasure to be transported there. If you haven’t heard his voice…get to it.

Highlights of the night included “Better Man,” “Smooth Sailing,” “Twistin’ & Groovin’,” “Coming Home,” and “Lisa Sawyer.” He gave small introductions to many of the songs. “Twistin’ & Groovin’” was written about the night his grandfather met his grandmother. “Lisa Sawyer” was written for his mother. “Smooth Sailing” got a different kind of introduction in the form of a drum solo and the crowd really got moving. Bridges closed the set with an intimate performance of “River” in which he played electric guitar alone with his backing vocalist.

After the crowd chanted “Leon, Leon, Leon,” the guitarist enters the stage and the rest of the band gradually joins him for a three-song encore of new music. These included “Pussyfootin’,” an instantly classic love song, and “Mississippi Kisses.” “Mississippi Kisses” is an utterly groovy song that brings to mind Wilbert Harrison’s 1959 recording of “Kansas City.” During “Mississippi Kissses” Bridges instructs different parts of the crowd to go crazy in sections, and then in unison as he addresses them as “Indiana”; They did indeed go crazy for the Southern charmer for the final time that evening. Leon Bridges warmed the hearts of WTTS listeners on a chilly December evening, but that definitely won’t be the last you see of him.

Thanks to all WTTS listeners who participated in the 2015 Christmas Can Concerts by purchasing tickets and donating canned goods to Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard in Bloomington. Thanks also to Green Bean Delivery for sponsoring WTTS Christmas Can Concert efforts during this season of giving. Happy Holidays from WTTS!

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On Monday, November 16th Ben Folds teamed up with yMusic to perform at the Old National Centre. WTTS was given an opportunity to give away passes for listeners to attend the sound check and meet Ben Folds. Below are photos from Monday evening.

Tuesday night, October 20th, the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre in Indianapolis filled with the fans of both John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett. The two legendary singer-songwriters took the stage for the second WTTS Rock To Read show of the year. WTTS Rock To Read benefit concerts help to raise money for children’s reading programs through the Indianapolis Public Library.

John Hiatt is a Hoosier singer-songwriter who has written Americana, folk rock, and country blues songs since he moved to Nashville when he was eighteen. Hiatt’s songs have been covered by many other successful musicians. Lyle Lovett is a Texan country folk, Americana, and bluegrass songwriter. Both saw most of their success throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Once Hiatt and Lovett were introduced to the theatre audience, they entered the stage to a standing ovation without having played one song yet. That was an incredible kick-start to the acoustic evening. The stage setup was simple and focused on the two musicians. The two sat in chairs in the middle of the stage. A table of waters and harmonicas sat between them and they were each surrounded by two guitars which they played all evening. No stage hand entered the audience’s vision all evening and it felt informal and relaxed, yet Hiatt and Lovett’s professional and classy demeanor could be felt from start to finish.

Hiatt opened the show with “Detroit Made” and Lovett covered Chuck Berry’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” to get the evening started. The two musicians have been friends for years, and it was obvious to the audience. Lovett, the younger of the two, showed open affection for his role model that he shared the stage with. Lovett served as the emcee for the evening, interviewing Hiatt about his favorite guitars, his hippie tendencies, and his time growing up in Indianapolis. Hiatt admitted that “It’s always great to come home” and reminisced on days of being the “ghost of bars past,” playing a coffeehouse on Indiana Avenue, Crazy Al’s, The Vogue, and The Patio in Broad Ripple.

Hiatt and Lovett are both extremely talented guitar players. They discussed the guitars they brought with them (Hiatt’s 1947 Gibson LG2 is notably cool) and the coolest guitars they’ve ever played. Hiatt complimented Lovett on his “damn fancy pickin’” and no one could have described it better. Both musicians had wonderful senses of humor as the two went back and forth with witty banter and comic rapport all night. The men also seemed relatable as they told stories of the past and their homes. Lyle Lovett introduced “White Boy Lost In The Blues” by saying he heard it in 1978 and thought, “This is my life…they know me.” Who hasn’t felt that way?

Highlights of the night included Hiatt’s “Perfectly Good Guitar,” “Feels Like Rain,” “Slow Turnin’” (by request), and “Real Fine Love.” Lovett played crowd favorites “Record Lady” (by request), “Nobody Knows Me,” “If I Had A Boat,” and “Up In Indiana.” The evening closed with Lovett’s “My Baby Don’t Tolerate” before an encore of Hiatt’s “Have A Little Faith In Me” and Lovett’s “Church.”

Lovett admitted near the end of the spectacular evening that they were “proud to be at the Old National Centre and the Murat Theatre at the same time” and the crowd roared with laughter. Indianapolis fans and WTTS listeners were absolutely smitten by the pair of singer-songwriters. John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett’s modern-day vaudeville show provided comedic interest on a stage that was inevitably beaming with years of artistry and craftsmanship.

The final WTTS Rock To Read benefit concert of the season is coming up! Tickets are on sale now for Guster at the Old National Centre on November 13th. Don’t miss the final chance to benefit children’s reading programs in the Indianapolis area and see a WTTS favorite artist.

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All photos courtesy of Rhythm In Focus Photography.