Mary Timony live @ Crystal Ballroom, Somerville, MA [03-02-24]

The last thing you think about after you have a near-death experience is when the next good show is coming to town. But, I love music. It’s funny, because I got hospitalized right after the last show I attended in November, and after you rehab and try to get back into your routine, the thought inevitably pops back into your head: when am I going back out there to catch a show? Starting a new demanding job didn’t help either: when am I going to have a chance again to catch a show? So, it’s a rainy night in Boston, and I’ve chosen to bike to the venue for “practical reasons.” I tell myself it’s worth it because that’s the truth. Every time I go to a show, even if I’m not exited, I look around and realize, “it’s great to be out here.”

Mary Timony is a guitar goddess, she’s also a Boston sweetheart, she’s also playing nearby, and her new album is great. Really, all the elements are lining up for this to be the show that gets me back into things. But what if I told you I wasn’t so sure at first. Timony’s new album Tame the Tiger had just come out. Would I have a chance to absorb it and enjoy the songs live? Is the album even going to be any good? I found the album tame after a couple listens, but spending enough time with it was rewarding: the personalities of the songs starting to come out, and I find Tame the Tiger to be a pleasant world to inhabit. This is one album I’ll be looking forward to enjoying on my permanent rotation.

After I take off my raingear and step into the venue, well before the first band takes the stage, I am simply pleased by my surroundings: the Crystal Ballroom isn’t just one of the better venues in Boston, but the crowd at this show is older and distinguished. Everything tells me I made the right decision by being at this show.

When Timony’s band takes the stage, it’s more of a celebration: an old friend has come back to town and wants to have a good time…with us. In a one-hour set, Timony and her band performed through the highlights of Tame the Tiger, albeit with a few minor flubs (hey, we’re all having a good time and it’s the third night of the tour!), which honestly, just adds more charisma to the night. It’s all good vibes and Timony and her band are striking and compelling to watch. We even get treated to some old Helium songs and a number from Timony’s old album. When this band rocks, they ROCK. At 11 PM, I’m back on my bike, the rain pouring down even harder, with the sweet songs of the sets serenading all the way home.

It’s great to be back and it’s great to have Timony out there: one of the lifers promoting what’s sure to be one of the best albums of the year, with one of the best bands touring. It’s the first must-go-to tour of the year.

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