Friday night in a small venue, in a small town in the middle of Oregon, a performer of all time played in our tiny historical Tower Theater, Bend Oregon What a delight!
(Repost from 2012)
This is my review tucked inside a personal memoir, of a very special night.
For anyone that dare think that because this performance was lacking two of the all-time popular and famous folk music trio known as Peter Paul & Mary, please think again. This man of age 70 years young was on fire last night. Yet as Peter Yarrow and his son Chris Yarrow began the evening we had no idea what we were in store for.
I knew the trio’s music, I can sing every lyric, but in deciding to buy the tickets for last night’s performance over 3.5 months ago this was not my mindset in wanting to see this legendary folk hero, performer, and songwriter. I just wanted to be in the same room with this man who was part of what had been such a huge movement during my informative teen years. The trio Peter Paul & Mary helped foster in me the rebel for cause, my politics began about the same time I first heard their sociopolitical commentary in their songs.
I was a young long-haired lady who naively believed that if we put our voices together in harmony we could accomplish so much. I believed we could change this world we lived in and we could right the wrongs, that we could bring justice to the unjust, and that we could make our government listen to us. That we could stop wars. This was the late 1960’s and it seems I had been listening to Peter Paul and Mary my whole life. (I still have their vinyls that I deemed worthy of spending my meager earnings on, even at just eleven years old.)
In hindsight, it feels only natural that as their voices became a strength for our country I would become a fast and passionate protester of the causes and the wars they took on, and to become a follower of their music. They were my introduction to many other folk musicians. I’d sit for hours listening to their songs over and over, practicing to harmonize just like Mary Travers..
But no one can ever do Mary Traver’s justice.
Peter Yarrow performed last night acoustically, of course, it was pure sweet music from his 6 string folk guitar, the combination of his voice with the tone of the strings playing off the theater’s acoustics was quite phenomenal. His son Chris Yarrow was his only accompanist, playing a Washtub Bass. that gave the backdrop from a serious bottom end with some curious rhythm, all coming from a typical vintage washtub, and a string attached to a long stick-shaped bow. It seemed amazing that with this simple instrument Chris had just one string to find his notes and chord changes with. He was able to master parallels with the great Bassist’s who performed with P P & M like, Bill Lee, Russ Savakus, and my all-time personal favorite, Richard Kniss. It was a nostalgic yet contemporary duo performance. Chris was able to provide the same backdrop sound to his father’s music as Chris’ voice blended in perfect harmony with that of his father’s, the whole evening took on a surreal feeling that took me back some 40 plus years.
There was not a silent voice in the house last night.
At one point Peter asked to have the stage lights brought up and I saw the same young man, only wiser. Yes, he has aged and grown gray like we all have, what good folk artist would dye their hair for Folk’s sake? Yet there is not an ounce of that aging in his voice, it’s as strong as ever with the bravado and vigor I was happy to hear. He took us through the evening with music that so many of us in the theatre had grown up with, and here’s the amazing thing; there are still new generations born every day that are learning about the art of folk music through this man. The kids in the audience ranged from 18 to a baby. The adults in the audience seemed to range from 19 to 99. I was pleased to see that so many are still touched by the stories and music Peter has to share with us. The evening’s music setlist went from the very early days of P P & M. as the evening began we heard an emotional version of the trio’s Day is Done. he only became stronger and more vibrant as the evening went on. The entire house sang along with each and every song and the room began to descend into the sense we were just sitting in the living room and the early years of peace & love.
The playlist was long, they played for 1.5 hours before taking a break. I mentioned the evening feeling surreal, and although I can’t possibly name every song they played for us there are personal favorites that were definite standouts. What we heard live last night from Peter & Chris Yarrow was memorable in every sense of the word. One artist “A Legend” and one finding his own footing and making a name of his own.
In Peter Yarrow’s style, he started out with a couple of songs and then led us straight away into his storytelling about the love and devotion he always had and will have for Mary. His “Work Wife”. He shared with us how much he misses his sidekick Sadly Mary died two years ago from complications associated with chemotherapy she was receiving for a bone-marrow transplant as treatment for leukemia, PY asked if we would be Mary’s harmony in “Leaving On A Jet Plane” *Deep sigh* We complied.
The room’s energy lit up in profound sadness and much love for this woman whose voice came into our homes, and whose lullabies we sang to our own children and grandchildren.
You are a great loss Ms.Travers.you mended my heart, and gave me courage at the time that has impacted who I am today. You brought to us to what you so lovingly gave. With Mary’s spirit filling the room Peter asked once again for the stage lights to be lowered, and at the same time, he wanted the house lights lifted. He wanted to see us. He wanted to know what “Bendites” look like who would pay upwards of $80 to see him on a Friday night. He could not believe we were there to see him! Yet we were. All of us. And that his son Chris who resides in Portland Oregon was with him was our gift. A bonus..
The night was a spectacular benefit for our local non-profit (PLAN) that helps to provide performing arts to students in the schools; in the classroom and in the performing art venues the kid are introduced to arts such as Folk Music. Peter donated and added his own artwork & autograph to an acoustic guitar (seen in the photo above with guitar facing the front of the house.) that Peter himself auctioned to the highest bidder, with all proceeds going to this non-profit. With Peter doing the auctioning in between verses of Blowing In The Wind the proceeds he garnered were $1999 & $2000, you see there were two strong and persistent bidders, so in the end Peter said they both won a guitar because they bid with so much passion. Peter kept reminding us all: it was not about the guitar, it was about the love and passion being shown for such a fine and valuable agency in our schools.
And finally for me the Piece DE Resistance of the evening Peter closed with Puff The Magic Dragon. Peter first asked children 18 yrs and younger to join him on the stage to help sing Puff The Magic Dragon with him. The kids who were with us last night didn’t need to be asked twice, and it’s a good thing Peter wasn’t checking I.D. Especially mine, y’all know I was already on my way up. Now if you don’t know who Peter Yarrow is or who the folk music trio Peter Paul & Mary are I know you know this song. How many times have we sat together singing this song? You know the story. Maybe you don’t know Peter changed part of it, instead of Puff being sad because Jackie Paper came no more… Peter invented Jackie’s daughter so Puff could slip happily from his cave again and we’d be reminded happily of the legacy of his daughter.
I began first to sing, then realizing I had brought my camera on stage with me I did what I do. I opted to sneak in a few shots. The people on the stage, the children, and one baby, all joyed to be on stage with Peter Yarrow. I captured a couple of close-ups despite trying to do so somewhat covertly. I’m sure the theater and artists have protocols about such photography.
My photo of a very sweet moment; just after Peter had softened the music to Puff he gently slowed the lyrics and music down to finally an absolute hush, he put the microphone up to this baby’s mouth and complete utter silence fell over the entire theater.
Then this sweet baby child with that darling soft wispy hair said ever so quietly whispered ” mmmm…”
Then this sweet baby child with that darling soft wispy hair said ever so quietly whispered ” mmmm…”
It was a great party. An intimate evening with the Yarrow men. Peter Yarrow, let me remind you is 70 years young, and he had been performing for almost 3.5 hours at this point, taking no break for himself, choosing instead to spend in with his fans signing autographs. After these two extremely talented men who came across as so down to earth took their final bow to a standing ovation as the audience cried for an Encore.
For his encore number, Peter had the whole entire theater up on their feet in a hell-raising rendition of ‘This Land Is Your land, This Land is my land”
On a personal side note; I never got to see PP&M live, I’m not even sure they ever reached the Pacific Northwest, but seeing Peter last night made up for it. At the end of Puff The Magic Dragon Peter & Chris graciously thanked each person on stage by shaking hands and hugging. As I was one of the last people on stage a special moment of my life presented itself.I stepped towards Peter who smiled my way, he reached out to take my hands and I lost all restraint and decorum. I put my two hands on each side of his handsome face and pulled his face closer. Lightly & gently we shared a perfect kiss of friendship.
Thank you, Peter, Thank you, Chris. It was the most wonderful enchanting kind of evening.
Please do come back~
©tjhelser 2012
Barefoot Baroness 
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