Donavon Frankenreiter Live at the Grove 2/25/05

A Night With the Good Vibes Crowd:
Sometimes the best relaxation comes when you really need it. On a beautiful night in Anaheim Donavon Frankenreiter played a sold out crowd a truckload of blissful music. Throughout an effortless set at the Grove in Anaheim California, Donavon and his band kept the crown dancing and happy with a trademark blending of folk and blues.Opener State Radio from Boston Massachusetts nervously declared “This is the largest crowd we’ve ever played in front of” near the end of their set. State Radio’s brought a unique approach to ska-rock alternating between plain acoustic guitar and plain acoustic with distortion on it. In spite of guitarist/singer Chad Urmston’s timid statement his reggae-styled vocal inflections had the firm backing of the audience. The band’s joyous demeanor was a perfect primer for a crowd readymade for good vibes.

Donavon and his band started off their set with the understated love song “Make You Mine.” The upbeat numbers “Free” and the endearing “Call Me Papa” followed to the crowd’s delight. Donavon’s delivery lacks the typical overbearing articulation that many singers use far too much. Instead, through a minimum of range, he manages to makes the absolute best of his singing. It may sound plain at first listen but it’s actually just a supreme patience. Much like the laid back nature of his music Donavon sounds in tune and in time with his surroundings. Thus making it hard not to feel comfortable hearing his music. The happy “Swing On Down” carried this momentum forward.

The Grove, holding somewhere in the range of 1700 people is set up in multiple descending tiers. There are 2 hallways on either side of the stage and every section is open and unrestricted. A solid view can be obtained from nearly everywhere and regardless of the sold out crowd there’s plenty of room to be had. Journeying around the audience during “Daydreamer” and “Bend in the Road” one could see scores of people dancing, singing or just staring emphatically.

Donavon then introduced Chad from State Radio and Jake Smith from early opener White Buffalo to join in a “jam.” All 3 along with Donavon’s bass player Matt Grundy took part in singing a fantastic rendition of The Band’s classic song “The Weight.” The night ended with the incredibly well received “It Don’t Matter” which featured a long outro of sing along between Frankenreiter and the crowd. Donavon would croon the words “If it don’t matter to you” to which the crowd gleefully replied “it don’t matter to me.” The call and response might seem predictable but it was the ideal way to end a night of such warm pleasant vibes.