Lyle Lovett and His Large Band

Last week I had the incredible privilege of seeing Mr Lyle Lovett for the second time. He's a fantastic entertainer and an amazing musician, so when I found out he was one of the musical acts set to perform at the brand new Vina Robles Amphitheater in Paso Robles I jumped at the chance. First of all I was curious to see the venue, so I was on the lookout for anything that might interest me in terms of performers slated to be there and second of all I just loved my experience seeing Lyle the first time around. How many concerts have you been to that you actually laugh? Not only does he have a talent for witty lyrics, but that talent also lends itself to his clever banter in between songs while he tunes his guitar. He has a way of chit chatting in those few moments that just makes you smile, as well as having one of the most soothing speaking voices I've heard. 

The other thing I love about Lyle Lovett is his modesty. He spends a good amount of time giving credit to his band mates- the talented musicians that make up his Large Band. He frequently hands over the spotlight and encourages you to support these musicians in their solo ventures- he even sings back up to these fine gentlemen and how many can say that?!

It was a wonderful evening, if not a bit chilly, but so worth the money, the time, the sore bum and the cold ears.

*(for those curious, a word on the venue itself at the end of this post)

sea of cars 

entrance to amphitheatre

super friendly and efficient security

view of the amphitheatre before taking our seats.

view of the stage from our seats. There's not a bad seat in the house, my friends. 

Just before Lyle entered the stage

You were expensive but you hit the spot, o chocolate chip cookie. 

Lyle Lovett and his Large Band

Lyle Lovett

*A word on the Venue, Vina Robles Amphitheatre

While pricey, this venue is worth the cost if it's an act your really enjoy. There really isn't a bad seat in the house. It's a small venue- 3.300 seats which doesn't exactly sound small but when compared to The Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View which holds 22,000, it's downright dinky and intimate- which is just the way I like it. No need for a jumbotron screen or binoculars. The ladies room was large, clean and easy to find. So do I have any complaints? Yes. The cost of concessions. An $8 hot dog? $10 salad? $6 french fries? $4 chocolate chip cookie that was okay but no where near as delicious as the $1.25 Cowboy Cookie I can get in SLO. I didn't even look at the alcohol. If a small Fuji water was $4, then a glass of wine must have been through the roof. This didn't seem to bother people. The food was certainly selling, the wine was definitely flowing and they got me to plunk down $8 for a water and a cookie, so they know they've got you in a tough spot and you'll fork out the dough. 

All in all I would definitely see another event there. The high price of food (and tickets) is to be expected really. I would advise eating beforehand and having a glass or two of wine before you even get there so you don't have to drop too much money while you're there. And then, just enjoy the show!