David Gray Under Harrah's Open Sky

Tift Merritt sang five or six songs to a relatively empty house, but she sang as if she were performing for a sold-out Madison Square Garden. I recommend you catch her next time she is in town.

It amazes me how many fans Ray Lamontagne has, considering the limited radio airplay he gets. This is the first time I have seen him with a full band, and he shared the stage equally with all of them. In fact, Lamontagne stayed off to the right side of the stage all night long, with the exception of stepping forward at the end of his set to thank the enthusiastic crowd.

David Gray and his band were the highlight of the evening. "F--k the early leavers," he said as he started his set. I didn't realize how many David Gray songs I knew until this show. “Babylon,” “Be Mine,” “Alibi,” “You're the World to Me,” just to name a few of the show’s standouts.

This was my first time seeing a concert at Harrah's Open Sky theater and I would be remiss if I didn't mention how nice a venue it is. There are no bad seats in the house, and the surrounding scenery is breathtaking. Especially at sunset as the hills to the east glow red.

• Concert: David Gray, Ray Lamontagne, and Tift Merritt
• Date: September 4
• Venue: Harrah's Open Sky
• Seats: Bleachers, stage right