For all “in-tents” and purposes, Sammy Rae & The Friend’s “Camp: The Tour” was a quirky, upbeat trip back to summer camp that, while enjoyable, certainly wasn’t cringe-free.
As I headed to their concert at the Riviera Theatre on Wednesday, I was hesitant about the concert’s theme: camp. The folk-jazz band certainly knows how to commit to a vision: the stage was turned into a temporary campsite made up by a backdrop scene of trees, tents and fake plants.
It might just be my all too recent month-long experience as a camp counselor that had me concerned. But the rest of the audience didn’t seem to mind when Sammy Rae & The Friends, decked in friendship bracelets and camp counselor attire, began their set and filled the venue with festivity. My reservations about the decorations (could they be an overly literal interpretation of the 2019 Met Gala theme?) crept to the back of my mind.
The set began with one of the band’s biggest hits, “Talk it Up,” and I was quickly impressed with Sammy Rae’s vocal range. Especially impressive was when Sammy brought out her falsetto, organically reaching notes one would only normally expect from auto-tune.
While the venue was small, the audience didn’t lack energy. The band has taken care to foster a strong and welcoming sense of community at their shows –– made clear by their theme.
I was especially impressed by the real stars of the show: the band’s two saxophone players, who rounded out many of the songs with elaborate solos. While I enjoyed Sammy’s high vocals, I found myself consistently awe-struck by the talent on the saxophones.
Throughout the set, it became clear that Sammy Rae & The Friends know their sound. Each song had the same, jazzy, uplifting energy that had the room dancing and singing along. While I particularly enjoyed hits such as “Jackie Onassis” and “Kick it To Me,” I wasn’t as drawn to their slower songs, like “Living Room Floor.”
The appeal of Sammy Rae & The Friends is their overwhelmingly playful and joyous vibe. With lyrics such as, “Kick it to me, I could make it better for ya” and “Don’t you stop it now, c’mon and / give ‘em all what they came here for,” the band urged the audience to lift their spirits and embrace the sugar-sweet “campiness” of their performance.
As Sammy sang-spoke the introduction to one of her songs while lying on the stage floor, I realized the overall performance gave “summer camp meets theater kid meets folk band.” While she acknowledged the theme was crafted to be over the top and urged the audience to not take it too seriously, I found myself cringing at times when things got a little too reminiscent of a children’s TV show.
Still, it’s hard not to smile while watching Sammy Rae & The Friends. Maybe I was taking myself a little too seriously. In the end, the band accomplished all that I needed them to — they made me appreciate the whimsical world of summer camp and the fact that, at least for the time being, I am not going back.
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Twitter: @emilymlichty
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