Sheryl Crow Live at The Cap
First Live Shows Since Covid 9–15–2021
(Updated 9.19.2021)
I turn on to the street where the Cap is located, in Portchester NY. It’s dark out, but the city lights from shops and restaurants tell you it’s a busy night in this city suburb and commuter town, just 27 miles from New York City and a quick train ride away from Grand Central. A convenience shop on my right is full of glass bongs in the window. New York legalized marijuana earlier in the year, and the shops don’t hide this. A local grocer with produce on the left, women’s leggings and colorful bike shorts, a taco shop, then Garcia’s bar on the right next to the venue. On the marquee, Sheryl Crow and Billy Idol. The Amtrak train station is right here as well. Several other ethnic restaurants in this area. A neon sign that says “Texas chili” and a pizza place with beer garden at the train station. I’m not hungry at all, but I actually wish I had an appetite. I head inside for the show. It’s bustling with people purchasing drinks and talking, laughing and moving in and out of spaces. Some wear a face mask, many do not.
Lucie Silvas is the opening singer/songwriter from England, but lives in Nashville now. She has a guitarist , Jacob, accompanying her. She has a solid voice and her songs are mostly slower paced, melodies. Not pop. Americana or modern country genre.
She sings out,
“Everything looks Beautiful when you’re in love, Light as a feather, Shining like a treasure”.
Then, Lucie covers a well known Roy Orbison song, “You got It”. This is a slowed down version, with piano only. A strong, solid, mezzo-soprano voice croons into the seated and hushed audience, who listen intently to this new artist. Lucie sings “Happy without Me” (A song she wrote when she was angry at someone who now lives in another country, she tells us.)
I notice the acoustic levels are a bit too high on two of her louder songs, and there’s crackling from the top overhead orchestra speakers… I think to myself, if they turn down the levels on this speaker, it will sound better”.
Lucie sings,
“Birds don’t know that their singing,
Fish don’t know that they’re swimming,
No one knows the beginning,
We don’t know that we’re living”…
There is better sound on speaker now, I notice. This is Lucie’s most memorable tune, and it has a cute, hand drawn animation to go with it that I watched online before the concert.
She finishes her set with “It’s a good Day for Living”. She complements Sheryl Crow and tells everyone “you are in for a treat. Sheryl is amazing and one of the nicest people in the music industry.”
— —
They are now setting up for Sheryl Crow.
From the speakers, they have just played Tedeschi Trucks, Susan Tedeschi’s voice rings out, “I’m gonna learn how to love you”. One of my favorite Blues bands and female guitar players, singer/songwriters. Now, it’s a slow bluegrass song, “Don’t let the flames go down”.
Sheryl is coming on stage with her crew. It’s loud and exciting. The colored lights are now controlled by the lighting pros and this becomes more of a spectacle than the opening act. Bigger, louder, brighter and with the love of fans who have known Sheryl’s work for many years.
From the side, I record her opening song, “Run, Baby, Run” The lights are directed out at the audience in laser beams, yellow, red and blue. It’s mesmerizing and simultaneously soothing.
Sheryl is wearing a smiley face tank, leather “jeans” and sparkly high top sneakers. She is bright as day and clear as a bell. I am amazed at her upper arm muscles and wonder how she gets such definition. I have never had muscles appear defined in my arms, even when I could do pull-ups as a grade schooler.
Sheryl has Great energy and she is such a beauty on stage. She changed guitars for almost every song and I have extreme guitar envy. I hope I can have that many beautiful guitars someday and solo as well as the boys.
Sheryl plays several more songs, including:
- “Maybe Angels”
- A Bob Dylan song, Everything is Broken”
- “Leaving Las Vegas”
- “Are You Strong Enough to be my Man”…
This is an incredible show so far, but this is a weird time. The second night of two nights here, and the very first live shows after COVID. Covid is not over, but it’s definitely being handled better than a year ago, when each state was just learning how to manage this new virus, NY was on lockdown, and no vaccines were available. Tonight, everyone here has had to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test in order to attend the concert. This doesn’t seem to be a problem at all — It’s still sold out and a packed theater.
The staff are all wearing face masks, and when I asked them if we needed to mask up, they said “facemasks are encouraged”… I notice most people at the concert are not wearing masks, but I do have mine on. It’s weird for me. I need to protect my older parents, who are both vaccinated, but I still worry about Delta. I don’t want to get sick again either. I’m tempted to take my mask off because so many others are not wearing masks, but I end up wearing it most of the time during the concert.
Sheryl is playing with a five piece band, she herself being the sixth person on stage. Behind her, a male bass player, Robert Kearns, with two feathers in his hat, two male guitarists on Sheryl’s right (Peter Stroud) and left (Audley Freed), a drum player in the center (Fred Eltringham), behind her, and a piano and an organ placed in an L shape, both played by female pianist and vocalist, Jen Gunderman.
Sheryl sings, “Favorite Mistake”. “You were the only one that I ever loved… “You’re my favorite mistake”.
The Capitol Theater has hosted Sheryl Crow many times. She has films here that are available on Apple Music.
She got her Scuba cert with her husband during lockdown, she says. I can’t tell if this is a joke or true. Scuba in Nashville?
“There goes the neighborhood.” Turn the radio down — Sheryl says this is an older song, written before technology… She says, “No one mentions the radio much anymore”.
Sheryl has a great audience of fans, many couples and mostly white folks. The people in the balcony boxes are dancing to “there goes the neighborhood”.
She mentions New York, the Meat packing district… Nightlife in meatpacking district, Hogs and Heffers, cross dressers, and colorful people.
She says she misses the authenticity of that district, but mentions that at least most of that sparkle and gusto for life that includes all kinds of people is now not only acceptable but it is law to protect diversity.
Now, a Cat Stevens song that Sheryl has covered, and everyone cheers. ”The First Cut Is the Deepest” is a 1967 song written by Cat Stevens, originally released by P. P. Arnold in 1967. Stevens’ version originally appeared on his album “New Masters”. The song has been widely recorded and has become a hit single for many artists.
We are up to song ten or so by now, “We’re only Travelers on this Road”, followed by, an audience favorite,
“If it makes you happy, It can’t be that bad.”
Everyone stands up and is singing along with Sheryl. This is her most popular song so far and everyone loves it. They cheer, like she just hit a grand slam. She switches guitars again. It’s the song from “Cars” the animated Pixar movie.
The “Cars” song is called “Real Gone”. Heavy guitars and kick drum. People love this rock song energy, but most of them now sit down. There are chairs here and no actual dance floor, which is not the way I have experienced the Cap in the past. It usually has an open dance floor. The lights are flashing wildly now. Like fireworks or an arcade pinball machine.
“Gonna Soak up the Sun” ☀️ Everyone is standing up again and singing along.
“Everyday is a winding Road”. Boom. Everyone is standing up and dancing again. This song kicks for the solo. The entire band leave the stage, briefly, and then return back for an encore.
Sheryl sings,
“All I want to do is have some fun… Until the sun comes up over Santa Monica Blvd.”
Everyone is up for this again and cheering and dancing. Some people run down the aisle to the front to try to take a photo. Lots of phones are recording the show from their seats.
“I can sing my song again. I don’t want to think of you no more”. This is also another banger, 1–2 drums. Everyone is up and out of their seats. Sheryl plays harmonica and guitar simultaneously, like Bob Dylan, Neil Young or Les Paul.
I’m glad I went and was able to record video. The lights make the show so much better, though it was an impeccable performance by Sheryl’s band that would have stood on its own without the lights.
Each person in the audience has their own experience. For some, it is more of a participatory experience. A group of women friends, dancing in the balcony, together. Dressing up in sequined tops and heels and going out to eat, drink, buy t-shirts with a glittery disco ball that say “This ain’t no Disco”… They sing along with Sheryl’s popular songs.
For others, (like me), it is the magic of observing the lights of the Cap. The Capitol Theater is a historic venue and has hosted countless other bands, including the Grateful Dead. Garcia’s Bar, named for Jerry Garcia, is inside the Cap, and has a small stage that also hosts live music shows.
For me, Sheryl’s concert and being here is a reinforcement in my psyche that I absolutely love guitars. I love seeing Sheryl switch between acoustic and different electric guitars. She has a lot of Gibsons. God, a Gibson is so expensive. I would be elated to have the Made in China, Epiphone “Based on Gibson” design. A J-45 Epiphone is just shy of $1,000. I can’t even afford that right now. A Fender electric, Telecaster was in there too. I appreciate Sheryl’s versatility and collaboration, how she can let another singer/bass player (Robert Kearns) begin the Bob Dylan song, “Everything is Broken” and then she joins in. I admire her ease of being on stage for thirty years, and her confidence at singing these same songs again that brought her here. She doesn’t seem to be rushing through a set of songs. She gives each song the care and detail it needs to be significant and beautiful on its own.
If that means a two guitar solo by her backup guitar players, they work and give her a break from singing. The focus momentarily moves to Peter Stroud and Audley Freed. Sheryl plays keys on at least one song alone, “I shall Believe”, but the more upbeat songs have a male and female backup vocalist, as well as backup piano, organ, Bass, and drums. Whatever is needed, Sheryl can afford to have them here to support her. Her sold out show is supporting a team of musicians, and stage hands, the Cap venue and bar staff, tshirt vendors, ticket sales people, local restaurants, and in turn, they are supporting her. At the end of the show, no less than twenty men come out on stage to break down the equipment to pack it into an enormous eighteen wheeler. Two black vans from New Jersey and a separate SUV are carrying this crew. The roadies travel with the show. Its remarkable to see the teams break down her show.
I head out to the lobby, where I purchased a ginger ale earlier. Still wearing my sequined face mask, I check out two tables of merch from The Cap and Sheryl Crow’s vendor. There are black T-shirt’s from 2019, black and rainbow shirts from 2021, white rainbow hoodies and her “Live at the Ryman” double disk cd. I think about buying a tshirt, but when I see the new album/cd, I know this is what I want. As I listen to Sheryl’s latest album in the car on the way home, she plays with Brandie Carlisle, Jason Isbell, Emmylou Harris, and many other country music legends live, from the original home of the Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville. The Opry was moved from the Ryman to its current location in 1974, but the Ryman Auditorium still stands as a favorite to many players, especially for the historic events and concerts that took place there. Presidents, the very first singer/songwriters, Hellen Keller, John Philip Sousa… The list of historic happenings at the Ryman is vast. Sheryl Crow’s new album is truly unique and the absolute best of her career. I’m very happy to have purchased it at this live show.
My biggest take away was the joy I have in experiencing a concert “my way” — on my own, with my camera to record parts of the show, and my notes to type in things I don’t want to forget. I’m not sad that I’m alone or without friends or family here. I’m a focused observer of music appreciation and details that go into making a show. From the curved sets of overhead speakers, to the person tuning and handing Sheryl each of her colorful guitars.
I overhear the crowd, the people in front and behind me. Couples and families. Two guys up front with their phones. The women out front who checked my vaccine card and called me “Baby”. Yea, they know I’ve collected a playlist across America with over 1,000 songs with the word “baby” in them, trying to escape domestic abuse, and I’m still trying.
What they don’t know is that earlier in the day, I spoke to my twins father for the first time in a long time, and it did not go well. After I got off the phone, I vomited uncontrollably. I can’t stand hearing his voice as he is driving a car and acting perky and happy, as if he did nothing wrong to me for 13 years. Flashbacks of him totalling my first car I paid off on my own, screaming at me drunk and scaring me and my sons resurface. I instantly feel sick and angry, no matter what he says. The fact that all my effort with the local courts and money I invested resulted in nothing because we weren’t married and we didn’t own a house together. I had to leave my sons who I love with my abuser just to get free.
I went to the beach before the concert to paddle on the ocean and it took at least an hour of being on the water in very strong winds to tell my brain to “let it go” — Let him go, let your beautiful twins go despite the fact they continue living with this asshole, while you are alone and missing them terribly. It’s torture. Pure torture what this man did to me, and no, I’m not ok with any of it. I have a psychiatric evaluation for Disability coming up, and I know this will go into the report. You can’t separate a mother from her children, and a mother of twins,(*twins who began on the spectrum), who dedicated everything she had to her sons, should not be forced to be at poverty level from the memories and actions of her sons’ father.
At the concert, I focused on the music, the lights, recording the show. I let go of my own suffering for a couple hours. I genuinely love guitar, songwriting and this passion that has taken Sheryl through her lifetime in this world of helping people let go of their difficulties, jobs and horror stories for a few hours live, and then a lifetime of plays on the radio, during fundraising concerts, cds, records and streams. It’s beautiful and awe inspiring, and I just want to get better at guitar until I feel so proud of myself — so proud of my work and my survival story that I can share the music, not the hell. Not feel that anxiety in my chest and head that makes me sick or want to lash out in anger and not want to speak to anyone. I want peace, and unfortunately, it means not talking to my sons’ father.
God, where would I be if I didn’t have music and guitar and learning songs and writing to get me through the last five years? I am so grateful for the guitar. This instrument of hope and love. “Carrie Love” my guitar teacher in San Francisco doesn’t realize her importance, or maybe she does.
Music saves. It has saved me, and I’m broken, but I’m alive.
Thank you too, Sheryl, for believing in yourself, guitar and music all these years. I’m ready for women to have a better chance at thriving after domestic abuse, and I humbly support women in music and will gladly write for you.
-Colleen M. Proppé
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For videos from this live event, please visit my IG @cproppe or contact me directly at: cproppe.com
Read About the Musicians Supporting Salesforce 2020:
https://cproppe.medium.com/2020-salesforce-rocks-a9ee69ea665
