Sarah Jarosz - Grass Valley, California

Sarah Jarosz 

Grass Valley Center for the Arts

Grass Valley, California 

4/3/22

Returning to the newly-renovated California Gold Country Grass Valley Center for the Arts, Sarah Jarosz delivered her usual stellar performance, delighting the audience with her unique, expressive, crystal-clear voice and masterful musicianship on the Guitar, Mandolin, and Banjo.

Accompanying her were Dave Speranza on bass, Mike Robinson on guitar and peddle steel, and John Fatum on drums, and to say this band was perfection would be an understatement. 

The last time Sarah Jarosz graced the stage of the GVCFTA was pre- lockdown, and she was clearly overjoyed and grateful to be back in the Gold Country, playing once again for live audiences. The feeling was reciprocated by attentive fans who savored every note she sang. She mentioned that she was up for Grammy/Best Folk Album that evening for her album Blue Heron Suite, excited at the prospect of adding another trophy to the 4 she has already garnered. It didn't happen, but a sold out crowd let her know how much she was appreciated. 

The night was hers and 500 people got treated to a generous list of originals plus the popular Bob Dylan cover "Ring Them Bells," which she and her band delivered flawlessly.  U2'S "Still Haven't Found what I'm Looking For" took everyone by surprise, again, done to perfection, including an invitation for the audience to sing along, which everyone happily did.  Crowd favorite "Come On Up to the House" (Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan) also had the audience singing along.  The set list included songs from her albums, showcasing Pay It No Mind, Orange and Blue, a lively upbeat rendition of Green Lights, part of Blue Heron Suite, Hometown, Annabelle Lee, Little Satchel, House of Mercy and more, all of which kept the audience spellbound by the magical chanteuse named Sarah Jarosz.

Writer/ Leslie Pitts