Review by Olivia Mello, Narrows Staff

Ronnie Earl filled the venue Saturday night; making it the second sold out show of the weekend following King’s X.

I was fortunate enough to meet Ronnie before the performance and found him to be a quiet, very gracious person. It was amazing to watch him transform into a more extroverted blues man once he had a guitar in his hand. Seeing him in his element made me realize how lucky some people are to find their niche in life and how liberating the pursuit of that passion can be.

He did not disappoint any of his devoted fans, including six individuals from Australia. He took the stage with confidence, polished in a red fedora and snappy tan suit.

His music spoke so loudly; I hardly even noticed there were no lyrics. That is until “soul sister” Diane Blue was introduced to the stage. Her voice was so effortless. The first word that comes to mind is POWERHOUSE. My favorite tune Diane sang was “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James, which received a standing ovation. Another good cover was Bo Diddley’s original hit “Before You Accuse Me.”

Diane wore a beautiful, long dress with a red and black design that reminded me of burning coal, which was appropriate because man, was she on fire.

There were so many unforgettable moments, the first being when Ronnie and Diane did a call and response, communicating between chords and vocals. Another was Ronnie’s announcement that his unreleased album, Father’s Day, was being sold at the show. Dave Limina’s vibrant piano solos were also quite memorable.

But, the best moment of all was when Ronnie stepped off stage and into the crowd. The energy in the room completely changed as he strolled through the isles, playing his guitar more soulfully than ever. The entire audience fell silent, intrigued and desperate to get an up-close view of the brilliant musician at work.