Concert Photos + Words | Shovels & Rope + Hurray For The Riff Raff at Off Broadway in St. Louis

All photos by Nate Burrell

That wasn’t me requesting “Lay Low,” although I’m usually the one to get all excited for the saddest song in the catalog. To be honest, I didn’t even know that was a favorite among Shovels & Rope fans — I thought it was just me.

It wasn’t just me.

This is a duo full of surprises. From Michael Trent’s guitar tone, when it gets nice and dirty, to the way Cary Ann Hearst politely tells an audience member — in the most caring way possible — to put away the phone and not record a video, “because you’re not going to watch it anyway.”

“Birmingham” and “Gasoline” were performed from the gut, with smiles that were Carolina-born. “Hail Hail” sounded as if it came from a muddy ditch — it rumbled, it howled, it showed its broken teeth.

Ultimately, “Lay Low” revealed a deep hurt, a longing:

I don’t know what to do
Or what I’d do if I knew
But we go through our day
And get by and get through
But my heart is with you
You probably knew
Your love is like glue

We knew, Michael and Cary Ann. We knew.

HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF

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