Charlotte & Lucy

Uptown Charlotte seen from First Ward Park

One of our favorite singer/songwriters, New York based Lucy Kaplansky, was touring the southern part of the country. The only date and place in North Carolina she was going to perform was on January 28 in Charlotte, roughly 140 miles away. Naturally, we had to go! We chose to make it an overnight trip and travel by train. Having booked concert and train rickets and reserved a hotel, we were all set. In March of 2019, we had driven to Ashland, Virginia, to see Richard Shindell perform; at the time, I had not brought a camera to the concert and I had regretted it. I didn't want to make the same mistake again, but which camera to bring? I opted for my extremely unobtrusive Fujifilm X100s; in silent mode, it does not make the slightest sound nor emit any light. I felt I would be able to sneak a few shots of Lucy during the concert. On the morning of January 28, we drove to Durham to catch our train.

Click on any image to see a larger (2400 x 1600 pixel) version!

Waiting for our train at the Durham railway station

Our Amtrak Piedmont line number 75...	...is pulling into the station.

In our very comfortable seats for the 2 hours and 38 minute ride to Charlotte

On the walk from the Charlotte railway station to our hotel uptown

First things first: after checking in, a hearty lunch at Mert's Heart & Soul

7 p.m.: we are seated at The Evening Muse, waiting for the reason for this trip to begin

What can I say about the concert? Listening to some musicians in person is pretty much the same as listening to them on CD or by streaming: the physical presence does not add anything, or not much, to the music. This comment certainly does not apply to Lucy Kaplansky! From the very first seconds, she established a rapport and dialog with the audience. It felt incredibly personal and intimate, almost as if we were guests in her home. She related many personal anecdotes, honored requests, and added touches of humor throughout. In short, it was a wonderful performance and well worth having taken the trip to attend it. The fact that this artist is an extremely gifted songwriter made this evening all the more unforgettable. I managed to take a few photos, and I chose to show black-and-white version in this space. The link at the bottom of the page leads to a gallery that has both these as well as color versions.

Lucy Kaplansky in concert	Lucy Kaplansky in concert

Lucy Kaplansky in concert

Lucy Kaplansky in concert	Lucy Kaplansky in concert

Lucy Kaplansky in concert	Lucy Kaplansky in concert

You can listen to much of Lucy Kaplansky's music on the usual streaming services, but two of her best albums, Everyday Street (2018) and Last Days of Summer (2022) are only available at her concerts or on her own web site, https://lucykaplansky.com. All tracks can be listened to on her site before deciding to purchase the music as a high-quality download or a physical CD. Check it out!

The 7th Street station (light rail)

Entering The Market at 7th Street to grab some coffee

The Market is not that big, but it carries a lot more than coffee!

Entering First Ward Park

View from the park

The Writer's Desk by sculptor Larry Kirkland	CATS crossing

The trams of the Charlotte Light Rail Transit are modern and comfortable

Walking through Charlotte's business center

Next to Charlotte's Discovery Place	View from Fourth Ward Park

The park's main entrance

Walking down West 6th Street

Heading back to our hotel...	...through the Old Settlers' Cemetery.

After picking up our bags at the hotel and a short Uber ride to the station, we are seated in our train back to Durham

The photos on this page were taken on January 28 and 29, 2023.
They may also be viewed in a gallery.

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