Shakey Graves

Words: Dan Emmons / Photos: Kenneth Coles

Shakey Graves has gone through many steps in his evolution as a musician. He was a guy with a guitar and a kick drum, who evolved into the artist we now know, selling out concerts across the country.

On Thursday night at the State Theatre, he went back to the beginning, promoting his Album Roll The Bones X, an update on the first LP he released online ten years ago, with little promotion. He started the show solo onstage with the lights low as he played songs “Unlucky Skin,” “Built to Roam,” and “Roll The Bones” with others from his debut album. The crowd showed more energy to his solo act, than when he changed the pace and brought out the rest of his band, playing songs from his previous album, the psychedelic and spooky Can’t Wake Up.

Making the night even more special, Alejandro Rose- Garcia told a story about his first time in Maine years ago and played the parts of an unreleased song he wrote about his experience here that he could remember. A playful and bawdy ballad about a tollbooth attendant. The crowd ate it up as he’d stop to explain things, crack jokes and paraphrase the parts he’d lost to time.

Shakey Graves came across as genuine in his enthusiasm for his music and for Portland. He came back on stage for an encore, drink in hand, leaping into the air to show his affection for the crowd. They returned the love with a standing ovation, and we can only hope he returns to Portland more often, so we can see what is next for such a talented and fun artist.