By DJ Alla
Last Night I was enchanted by the unbelievable songbird that is Sierra Ferrell on her Shoot For the Moon tour that precedes the release of her sophomore album Trail Of Flowers coming on March 22nd. I was lucky enough to snag a presale ticket for her Monterey show at the historic Golden State Theatre. Sierra is bringing back true country sound and values along with being a wildly multi-talented musician and performer playing both guitar and violin throughout the show.
Sierra invited the self-described “Space Party Rap” group Dinosaur Burps also hailing from West Virginia to open for her. They played an eclectic mix of songs that along with their lively personalities helped get the crowd ready for the main set. She entered the stage at exactly 9 PM with the track Give It Time from her first record Long Time Coming. All I have to say is lord can that girl sing! She sounds exactly like she does on her records if not better, adding creative riffs to make every song on the setlist extra special. She played a mix of tracks from Long Time Coming and Trail Of Flowers along with various covers including classics like Don’t Let Me Down from The Beatles and Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin. During Don’t Let Me Down she came down to the edge of the stage to say hit to those us us along the rail and allowed me and others to sing some of the chorus while holding her hand. Safe to say that was a bucket list moment. Halfway through her set Sierra left for a quick change coming back dressed as a Dolly Parton-esque angel ready to shoot down the backdrop of the stage with her bow and arrow. My top three favorite performances of the night had to be a stripped-back version of Whispering Waltz, and two singles from her upcoming album Dollar Bill Bar and American Dreaming.
The crowd was perfectly paired with the vibes that Sierra was bringing for the night, as everyone showed up in their country best. I think I might have seen the most fur coats, felt hats, and cowboy boots in one room ever. I almost felt underdressed in just my boots and jeans. Everyone knew when it was time to sway and listen to her melodic voice and when it was time to cheer, clap, and stomp to her rowdier tracks. The floor of the theatre was not packed with just enough space to dance and felt so intimate and special. I hope to see a show at the Golden State Theatre again as I thoroughly enjoyed my time there last night. I had such an amazing time last night that I had to restrain myself from buying a ticket for her next stop on the tour at The Warfield in San Francisco. If you are even slightly interested in the world of country, folk, or bluegrass music I highly recommend seeing Sierra Ferrell on tour.