LIVE: Molly Parden and David Ramirez at Schubas 12.02.17
Molly Parden felt right at home opening up for David Ramirez at Schubas Tavern Saturday night. The two complimented each other in the most unique way. Molly's presence warms you up with soft ballads, silky measures, and heartbreakingly raw lyrics. Then, David jumps on to stretch that out, do a little yelling, and turn up the volume to make you feel emotions aplenty during their one night at arguably Chicago's most charming venue.
Molly's guitar makes way as an extension of herself carrying light chords with heavy hitting lyrics to reach every person from wall to wall, talking soul search to heartbreak. The ease on stage lent to this beautiful conversation between her, her severing sound, and the crowd in front of her. Her reflective nature makes you sink into every love lost, love gained, and love you hope to have someday away. She was joined by David's keyboardist, Matthew Wright, for the back half of her set. The pair were nothing short to an explosion of intimacy and pristine melodic banter. They shared a sort of ping pong match between Molly's daring words and Matthew's striking heartbeat through the keys.
Molly also carried a subdued humor that set an affable tone for her show while noting her break from a contemporary Christian music upbringing, finding her space in the Nashville scene, and her ongoing new discovery of 90's music. Following that up, she surprised the crowd with her impassioned take on Gin Blossom's classic, "Found Out About You." Her music spins around very pointed moments in time, spaces and traces in a lifetime. She shared her lust for Kentucky in Kentucky, her influential Georgia roots, and just how much Chicago means to her.
Molly Parden is a powerhouse wrapped up in a soft package; Wearing white Chuck Taylors, playing an acoustic guitar, she helps hearts navigate waves of longing and loss. Her latest transparent single, "Sail On The Water", follows her fervent 2016 With Me In The Summer album release, and she admittedly adheres to a slow moving writing process. It's hard to wait, but at least that means she nurtures these seeds with such care and grace that it is worth the passing time.
Molly will be riding along with David through December. You can follow the rest of their tour here.
