Last night, things were somewhat bittersweet at the Les Schwab Amphitheater. On one hand, it was the last show of what's been a great summer in music at the LSA, and that's a bummer. But also, this was a hell of way to close things out.
A good-sized crowd showed up, especially given that it was the Tuesday after Labor Day, to see Ray LaMontagne give us a couple hours worth of reasons why he's one of the best songwriters of his generation. And, of course, Brandi Carlile -- a Bend favorite if there ever was one -- took out all the stops with an energetic and soulful set.
It was a bit of a bummer to have only about half of the reserved seats occupied, creating an odd gap between these two performers and their adoring fans. But again, it was a nice way to close out the summer season.