Show Review: Sierra Ferrell at Granada Theater

Sierra Ferrell – Granada Theater – 3.12.23

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First and foremost, let me say I should have taken “sold out” as an indicator that parking was going to be a nightmare and to arrive an hour early but I didn’t. Lesson learned though. Parking was near impossible, but I got lucky and found a spot just in time to walk in on Jaime Wyatt riling up the audience. I had only glanced at her Spotify on the way to the Granada Theater there in Dallas, TX and didn’t know much about her or what to expect. But the crowd clearly enjoyed what she was singing.

With that being said, the venue itself was packed to capacity. The whole place is rated to hold 1000 people and judging by all the folks we were probably over by a couple hundred or so. The place is standing only and tiered, so each level is slightly higher than then one in front. People filled each tier to the point that squeezing in to get a better shot was impossible. People were even standing in the stairs that ran the length of the building. There was literally only walking room near the bar down towards the middle of the room and just enough space to walk up the stairs.

Usually when a place is packed like that, photographers can seek refuge down in the photo pit or at least behind the railing but not on that night. There was no photo pit at this venue  and there were probably 8 other photographers there crammed in the small tight areas down at the corners of the stage trying to get photos as well. I say all this not to complain but to try and paint a picture for you on how crowded this place was.

Wyatt was doing work as she hammered through several of what I assumed to be originals. “If you don’t love me then why don’t you nail me to a neon cross.” She has a very unique sound and her songs are very reminiscent of the 80’s and 90’s country scene I grew up in. It’s pretty damn cool to have all these new acts bringing back the best era of country music.

At around 9:15, Ferrell parted the curtains at the center rear of the stage and made her appearance as she made her way to the front center of the stage to wave at those in attendance. The crowd just lost their minds as soon as the headliner was in full sight and kept a respectable decibel level until she started her first song.

I watched her take the crowd on a ride that went from some of the loudest applause and cheers to the most deafening silence you could get out of a room crammed with probably 1200 people in it. She maintained total control of the entire room as she mesmerized everyone with her vocal range and old timey sound.

Towards the end of the show, I had moved towards the very back of the venue and remember hearing her sing in total silence as if we were in a listening room type of setting. Not a person in the room was talking as the fellas played, and Ferrell sang. As soon as she would finish a song, the crowd would go wild cheering. Just crazy loud every single time. It really made you a appreciate her singing that much more. Every single song right down the very last one, the crowd just went bananas with joy.

“In Dreams,” “Bells Of Every Chapel,” “Silver Dollar,” “The Sea,” “Give It Time,” were some of her latest releases she performed but the one that truly caught my attention was the show closer. Something not too many folks can say they do and leave the crowd turned upside down is close their show out with a cover. Ferrell says “watch this” and took Willie Nelson and Ray Charles classic “Seven Spanish Angels” and said “mine now.” She didn’t really say that, but actions do speak louder than words.

I am a huge fan of covers and applaud anyone who can justifiably recreate a song to put a modern twist “in their own style” type feel to it. Sierra’s version of “Seven Spanish Angels” will breathe a breath of fresh air into that song and I’m hopeful she records it. Hearing her sing that, in person, was a real treat.

Sierra Ferrell will have a legendary career. With her natural ability at this singing thing, her ultra unique sound, her style and personality and her versatility with what appears to be any musical instrument you throw at her, her tight knit man band, who also all seem to be able to play whatever they need to make their sound, are on a rocket ship with one way tickets headed to wherever success lives.

Sierra Ferrell – @sierraelizabethferrell
Joshua Rilko – @joshua.rilko
Geoff Saunders – @geoffsaundersmusic
Oliver Bates Craven – @oliverbatescraven

Find more information and tour dates here: https://www.sierraferrellmusic.com/

Enjoy our previous coverage here: Show Review: Sierra Ferrell at Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville on NYE

and here:  REVIEW: Jaime Wyatt’s “Neon Cross” is Rockers Looking Back on Battles