Review by Ben McNeely
Photo by James Nix
A changed Bombadil took the stage at Fletcher Opera Hall late Saturday night.
Gone were the pan flutes, trinket instruments and bright colors.
Even the outfits the quartet wore were stylish, but muted compared to bright colors for which they are known.
Maybe it was just the venue they were playing that demanded more prestige than flair, but it also was that Bombadil had been changed: Changed by two years of making music in slow motion, as guitarist Bryan Rahija said, while Daniel Michalak recovered from a debilitating nerve illness that severely reduced the use of his hands.
Yet, the Bombadil that took the stage was confident and mature, mixing old favorites and songs from a new album, to be released Nov. 8.
When Michalak and Stuart Robinson stepped onstage to begin the show with “Reasons,” the duet from the band’s celebrated sophomore album Tarpits and Canyonlands, it was a reason to smile. You could feel the anticipation in the air, the silent question that hung: Do they still have the magic?
Yes, indeed, they do.
The big sound and frenetic energy of Michalak dancing on stage wasn’t there. The band had to simplify arrangements to accommodate his hands, which are much better by the way, but which, Michalak admitted, could get better or worse. (Right now, he’s all good, he said.)
The stripped-down sound forced a focus on the songs themselves and not on the showmanship.
Bombadil has always been the full package — solid songwriting and impressive showmanship. It was nice, though, after a long day running around Hopscotch, to sit back and take in music that hasn’t been heard live in two years from a band that left a noticeable hole in the Triangle music scene.
Emotionally, the band ran the gamut — the most stirring coming from Michalak and Robinson’s solo songs. Michalak’s “Marriage” from Tarpits was simple, sweet and direct, countered with Robinson’s intense “Matthew” and a new song “They Will Wait.” (The baby grand piano at the Fletcher sounds incredible. Thanks Raleigh for keeping it tuned.)
But just as Bombadil pushed your heart into your throat, they lifted spirits and took us on a light-hearted trip on a unicycle and explored awkwardness in relationships through a ukulele (all from the upcoming album).
Fans in the audience yelled out during “Cavaliers (Har Hum)” and sang along during “Jellybean Wine” and “Honeymoon,” the quartet’s closer, then gave a well-deserved standing ovation.
A perfectly magical ending to Hopscotch, which served up plenty of musical sorcery all weekend.
And it’s more than just nice to see Bombadil back together, it’s downright uplifting.
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