Barber stays authentic

Sam Barber has come far in a short time. Not too many years ago – four - the 22-year-old Missouri native first started playing. Tik Tok soon served him well, but seeing how his career and this evening in particular progressed, Barber is more than a viral artist.

Barber's singer/songwriter blend of Americana with a touch of country was not so apparent when the show got underway.

Barber started off rocking, a big switch from his Americana/countryish. Sound, "Better Year" and "Tear Us Apart" from "Twisters The Movie" soundtrack. There was a lot of guitar from Luc Nyhus, steely and sharp, but not exactly what one would have expected from Barber. That would change over time in a night that showcased Barber the worthy artist that he is.

Barber still often sings with his eyes closed. One suspects that's more an indication of his engagement with the lyrics that he wrote instead of being anxious to face the crowd. After all, there's a lot of sadness and melancholy in his songs, delving into religion, mental health, and of course, relationships.

Actually in that realm, he, too, has progressed. He's not the kind of singer who's jumping around, all amped up. His low-key personality remains intact, but Barber seems more outwardly comfortable in talking and having something to say to his fans.

Barber took it down a bunch of notches when the band walked off, leaving him solo acoustic for "Ramblin' Man" and "Burn Me." He finished off this segment with "Restless Mind," a duet with fiddle player Luisa Marion, who also traded lead vocals with Barber.

While the other three band members have changed since Barber was last in town last year, Barber smartly made sure that Marion, also a sometime keyboard player, remained aboard. As she did last time around, Marion made her presence felt early and often. Barber gave Marion lots of space to show her formidable skills. She let loose often on fiddle runs, all of a sudden infusing the songs.

That lent itself to the arc of the night as Barber finished the 90-minute show strong. He played a brand new song, "Broken View," which was in his wheelhouse. Barber's take on Tyler Childers' "Jersey Giant" remains on target, and "Indigo" worked even without country singer Avery Anna, who's on the recording.

Yet again giving his band room, they jammed out, especially Marion, on the intro to the lone encore song, ""Dancing in the Sky" by Vancouver, Canada duo Dani and Lizzy. The song encompassed both sadness about missing someone and hope that the departed were having a good "life." That pretty sums up Barber as well. There's an authenticity to Barber. Social media only goes so far.

The Crowe Boys opened the show, showcasing their folkie/Americana/country leanings. The duo – Ocie, who does most of the singing and Wes, who provides just the right harmonies and mandolin fills – grew stronger as the set progressed. That might be because they started off a bit too much on the softer, understated side. Peppering the songs with harder-edged playing and singing served the New Orleans-based brothers better.

One suspects they would have connected more in a smaller room with the 3,500 sold-out strong audience. Unfortunately, at one point, Ocie told the yapping, presumably over liquored crowd to quiet down. The Crowe Boys deserved better.