Colbie Caillat – The Ridgefield Playhouse, CT, USA

Colbie Caillat and the Band

The Ridgefield Playhouse, with its intimate 500-seat theatre was the perfect venue for Colbie Caillat and friends, namely her backing band, High Dive Heart, consisting of her writing partner, singer, songwriter, guitarist, Jason Reeves and his wife, singer, guitarist Nelly Joy, and Justin Kawika Young, singer, songwriter, and multi-talented musician, along with guitarist Ryan Lang, and her percussionist and drummer.

Colbie Caillat

We had the pleasure of attending the October 29, 2016 performance at The Ridgefield Playhouse where Colbie’s long-time songwriting collaborator, Jason Reeves, and the talented Nelly Joy opened the show. They played cuts off past and present releases including the songs, Vintage, and Misfit, which carries the message “to stop bullying, to stop judging,” donning super hero capes to get their message across.

Jason Reeves & Nelly Joy
High Dive Heart

Next in the line-up was guitarist Justin Kawika Young hailing from Hawaii who, along with bassist Ryan Lang, played cuts off his latest release, and thrilled the audience with a beautiful song sung in Hawaiian and English about no matter how far you go from home you can keep your connections.

Ryan Lang & Justin Kawika Young

Colbie Caillat and friends took to the stage and opened with the first cut off her October 7, 2016 release, The Malibu Sessions, with the song, Gypsy Heart. Wanting to do something a bit different, Colbie explained that they would perform the entire 11-tracks off the release from start to finish. With Colbie and 5 band members seated in a line along the front of the stage, with a simple white backdrop with strings of hanging vertical lights, it was a more personal and intimate concert experience, with the feeling of being transported to a summer evening on the beach in Malibu with friends, with Colbie talking about each of the songs, how they came to be, and the meaning behind them, making a strong connection with her audience.

Colbie Caillat
The Malibu Sessions

While her previous releases were studio recordings, The Malibu Sessions was recorded during a 2-month period in a rented beach house in Malibu. The opening track, Gypsy Heart, as well as the last track, Now, feature the sound of ocean waves, capturing the essence of that musical journey.

Colbie explained that the house had a spiral staircase and that space was perfect for recording the claps and whistles used on the song, Goldmine. The song Cruisin’ was inspired by a little boy dancing naked on the sand while the band was relaxing at the beach; you never know when a song will take shape.

Jason Reeves, Colbie Caillat & Justin Kawika Young

A fan of classic rock, Colbie grew up listening to her parents’ music including Steve Miller, Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, and more. Paul Simon’s beautiful lyrics and unique mixing of native sounds found on the release Graceland were the inspiration for her song Like Tomorrow Never Comes, which has a Paul Simon homage intro feeling while using their mix of sounds.

All songs on The Malibu Sessions were written in California and Hawaii and while the album was just released in October 2016, they were written about 4½ years ago, and recorded about 3½ years ago. Her then record company did not feel the album had commercial appeal so she decided to hold the album back, and recorded a different album. She left the label 1-year ago and decided to put out her own record label, PlummyLou Records. Writing 60 songs, recording 29, and ultimately narrowing it down to 11-tracks, The Malibu Sessions is gorgeous, with lots of extra material that may be used on future releases.

Jason Reeves & Colbie Caillat

Although fans would never expect such a talented, singer, songwriter, musician to have stage fright, Colbie explained that when she started out and was alone on the road she had terrible stage fright; the song, Runnin, which she co-wrote with fiancé Justin Kawika Young, is about dealing with that feeling.

Never Got Away, one of Colbie’s favorite songs on the album, became one of our favorites as well. Other songs from the album included Only You, Good Thing, Don’t Wanna Love You, In Love Again, and the last song, Now, which she explained is about living in the moment.

Colbie performed a few solo pieces, including earlier songs, Bubbly, and Try, engaging the audience by telling about her experience as a professional singer. She started singing “for real” at age 11, heard Lauren Hill and was inspired to keep practicing and took vocal and piano lessons. At age 19 she took her first guitar lesson as her father sagely advised that it would help her accompany herself at gigs, as well as to write songs. During her first lesson, she learned 4 chords and was so inspired that she went home and wrote a song that night (Bubbly). From that initial foray, she fell in love with songwriting, which is a personal therapy, writing about things you are going through in life, and things that people can relate to because they have experienced them as well, making a connection through music.

Colbie Caillat and her dog

Joined by the band, as well as by her dog, and Nelly Joy’s dog, Colbie had the audience on their feet dancing at her invitation to the closing song, Brighter Than The Sun, as it was a Saturday night and time to party. After the show, fans had the opportunity for a meet and greet with the band, which ended the evening on an especially high note.

Nelly Joy, Edward F. Nesta & Jason Reeves

A few of the many exciting upcoming programs at The Ridgefield Playhouse include:

Performances

For information on upcoming programs and events, please visit the website, www.RidgefieldPlayhouse.org.

Debra C. Argen & Justin Kawika Young

For tickets or information, please call The Ridgefield Playhouse Box Office: +1-203-438-5795.

The Ridgefield Playhouse

80 East Ridge Road

United States

Telephone: +1-203-438-5795

Fax: +1-203-438-4543

Website: www.RidgefieldPlayhouse.org

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RidgefieldPlayhouse

Follow The Ridgefield Playhouse on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RidgefieldPlayhouse

Follow Colbie Caillat on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ColbieCaillat

For information on Colbie Caillat and upcoming performances, please visit the website: www.ColbieCaillat.com

Read our review of Colbie Caillat – The Malibu Sessions in the Music Scene section.

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