Outdoor stage a hit for singer-songwriter night

LANCASTER – Marshall Crenshaw delivered an eclectic set Friday at Ohio University-Lancaster for the Lancaster Festival’s singer-songwriter night and convinced festival director Joe Piccolo that outdoors is the way to go for that event.

This was only the second outdoor singer-songwriter night and drew a crowd of about 600 by a nearby covered bridge. Previous incarnations were indoors before a May outdoor show.

“It’s a great setting,” Piccolo said. “A beautiful setting. I’m real happy with the way it looks. And it’s a more intimate setting. I think having it out there by the bridge is appropriate.”

The audience no doubt agreed, as it seemed to enjoy Crenshaw’s set, which featured tunes such as “Red Wine,” “What Do You Dream Of?” and Buddy Holly’s “Cryin.” Crenshaw played Buddy Holly in the movie “La Bamba.”

“Everybody should be in a movie once,” he said.

Crenshaw’s website says he also portrayed John Lennon in an off-Broadway production of “Beatlemania.”

Crenshaw’s hits include “Someday, Someway,” “(You’re My) Favorite Waste of Time,” “Whenever You’re on My Mind,” and “Cynical Girl.”

He played with a bass player and drummer while handling both rhythm and lead guitar parts himself. Crenshaw engaged with the audience between songs, including saying he thought he got stung by a bee just a few songs into the set. He also shared with the audience stories of some of his songs about what they meant.

Crenshaw played some older songs and some from an upcoming album after opening with “Dime a Dozen Guy.”

Angela Perley and the Howlin’ Moons opened for Crenshaw and played a tight rock set with a country tinge on some numbers.

The Columbus band mixed the rockers with the ballads, playing tunes such as “Dangerous Love” and “Athens.” On one song, she took bow-like object to a hand saw and played it like a violin, producing a weird, haunting sound. Another song, “Bad Reputation,” was a hard rocker — but not the Joan Jett song of the same name.

As with Crenshaw’s set, the crowd seemed to like Perley and her band, with some dancing. Other crowd members were wearing Perley T-shirts. Adding to the festive atmosphere were several food trucks on the grounds.

The Lancaster Festival concludes Saturday with Blues Traveler at the OU-L Wendel Concert Stage, preceded by the Lancaster Festival Orchestra. The show starts at 8:15 p.m.

jbarron@lancastereaglegazette.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron