Chatham County Line fans brave ticks, sunburn at Bond Park

Chatham County Line kicked off a series of free concerts sponsored by PineCone and the Town of Cary Saturday at Bond Park's Sertoma Amphitheater.

The last time I think I spent any considerable amount of time at Sertoma Amphitheater was during summer camp in the 8th grade when my group was supposed to be doing orienteering exercises. This was considerably more fun.

Despite the heat and threat of rain, the four piece filled the amphitheater's metal bleachers and then some, with a smattering of folks camped out on the pine straw in the back with lawn chairs and blankets.

"How's everyone in the back doing? You know you're all gonna get ticks," group frontman Dave Wilson joked.

Humor pervaded the group's two hour set, which Wilson noted had to end right at 5pm to allow for a support group meeting of Carolina Hurricanes players' mothers. But even with a 15 minute intermission, Chatham County Line packed in plenty of tunes from both their most recent album, IV, and past offerings.

As you might expect from a free outdoor concert held midday on a weekend, there were plenty of families with small children that came out to enjoy the show. Most of the kids gathered up near the front of the stage, dancing to the more upbeat songs, until a few brave ones started sitting on the stage, then wandering across it. After pretty much being taunted by Wilson to see who could get the closest, he reached down during one song to snatch the cap off one boy's head.

To be completely forthright, this was only the second time I'd seen Chatham County Line, the first being their CD release show for IV at Cat's Cradle. This may just be a sign that I'm growing old and crotchety, or it's just the nature of bluegrass music itself that lends itself to an outdoor setting (anyone who's been to Merlefest can attest to that one) where you can actually appreciate the music rather than a cramped, noisy club, but this show was infinitely more enjoyable — even with the threat of sunburn.


Set 1:
Route 23
(missed this one)
One More Minute
By the Riverside
Gunfight in Durango
Louisiana Freight Train
Nowhere To Sleep
We Need a Whole Lot More of Jesus (And a Lot Less Rock & Roll)
Born To Be With You

Set 2:
The Carolinian
(instrumental)
She
Country Boy/City Boy
Bent Creek
I Got Worry
Sweet Eviction
I Trained Her To Love Me (Nick Lowe cover)
Whipping Boy
Lonesome in Caroline
Let It Rock

[all photos by Kevin Norris]