Rodrigo y Gabriella/Devotchka/Lord Huron, July 14 at the Hollywood Bowl

Noa loves Rodrigo y Gabriela.  Or she just loves going to shows at the Bowl.  Maybe both.  But she invited us to go with her people for the show there and it's hard to turn down a Sunday night show at the Bowl.  Rodrigo y Gabriela don't have any hit songs but then, it's only the two of them with guitars, no vocals, and they're still utterly amazing.  Amazing enough to sell that many tickets as well as to captivate the crowd every time.  They apparently don't play mostly covers anymore, but they make up for the unfamiliarity with power, intensity, endurance, musicianship, and all-around fun.  One of the best live shows around, confounding expectations when you can't sing along.  Devotchka opened.  I often equate them to Gogol Bordello, but without the intensity of the stage show, just by the music, which I've never investigated, just what I've heard tangentially at festivals.  Lord Huron opened before them and they were pleasant enough but honestly I was riding a heavy buzz at that point just after we went in.  More than the music we saw it was an evening with friends, peaking early with a grand picnic at the tables outside across the parking lots.  Noa's friends can bring some great food.  We brought fried chicken (since it was a picnic).  It's a time that reminds anyone what a wonderful night you can have at the Bowl, with cherished friends and food and wine, no matter who's on stage -- but even better when there's someone amazing there.