Sarah Ayers Was the Star of First Night

Last night we went out on the town of Bethlehem, with our friends Trudy and Graham whom we're visiting in their spacious new house in Northampton, PA. Like the other events across the US, First Night offers dozens of musical and comedy acts. We began in an old ice house by the Monocacy creek, listening to the Ultrakings, a rockabilly trio. Then we saw a few folk artists performing in the entranceway to a Comfort Inn, a sad choice of venue since oncoming hotel patrons walked in front of them as they sang "Jerusalem," which was our NMH class hymn so I knew the words.

But one group stood out from all the rest---The Sarah Ayers Band. Fronted by the smiling Sarah with a black sleeveless top and glittering bling, from the moment they began their set you could just about peer inside of her soul. She sang a bittersweet song about loving a man who rejects her, and the pain of trying so hard in vain to get him back. Her words matched her pitch, she had a powerful and clear voice, and her three musicians were sparse and crisp. With their shoulder-length hair and tight chops, I thought they must do this music full-time, or in as studio cats.

Sarah moved on to songs about drugs, singing variations on 'I'm addicted to you,' despite her mother's protestations about her lyrics. Then she sang in her clear powerful voice about abuse--'don't put your hands on me' and finally, about her young daughter in a late-night paen to get her to fall back sleep. "Cassidy, it's 3 am, you're awake again, please, please sleep again." She moved on to some choice covers, Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow, and a fine rendition of White Rabbit, doing this classic tune a respectable turn.

We drove home in the rain and as the clock turned over to 12:00, we didn't blow noisemakers or cheer. We watched a movie til 2:20 am and it was, looking back, a worthy New Year's Eve.