On Saturday, December 18th, David Shaw and The Ries Brothers played to a packed Union Stage for the final performance of Shaw's maiden solo tour.

First to hit the stage was The Ries Brothers out of Clearwater, Florida. This duo was a perfect opener for Shaw. The brothers had a varied and energetic performance that mixed soulful grooves with reggae, ska, acoustic, and hard-hitting rock and roll punctuated by a powerful guitar solo with an equally impressive electric ukulele solo. Having never witnessed a ukulele sounding like a Fender Stratocaster, it certainly left the audience impressed and warmed up for David Shaw.

When David Shaw and his band hit the stage, the audience let out a triumphant roar as DMV residents have not seen Shaw perform live in the region since The Revivalists performed at The Anthem on February 29, 2020. 

Despite this being Shaw's maiden tour with his solo band, the band's sound was locked in, polished, and dynamic.  This neophyte band filled with gifted musicians punched well above their weight for a band that performed a scant sixteen times prior to the Union Stage performance. 

Shaw was clearly enjoying the evening from the moment he came on stage and, with an ear-to-ear smile, told the audience, "We got you! We are playing this whole album tonight!"  Shaw performed all of his new songs as if they were second nature to him and he had been performing them for years; perhaps it is because these new songs were deeply personal to him, perhaps it is because Shaw is one of the most charismatic and animated performers of his generation - or maybe a combination of the two! 

Shaw was nearly inseparable from his beloved acoustic guitar given to him by his Aunt Linda throughout the evening. Shaw wielded this guitar throughout the performance like Roy Hobbs brandished his beloved bat "Wonderboy" in The Natural.  

Shaw, who typically performs to thousands and gallivants across large stages, reshaped his boundless energy to suit the small venue atmosphere of this tour.  Within a few songs of hitting the stage, he took off his signature leather jacket, exposing his muscular physique, and sang within inches of his adoring fans. This venue was so small and cozy that when Shaw sang, "Girl, I miss you soo much" many audience members might have thought that he was singing these lyrics to them.

Whatever energy Shaw kept in reserve from his main performance, he undoubtedly saved for a memorable and powerful encore for the last encore of his 17 date tour.  The encore started with a solo version of "Soulfight" as Shaw and "Wonderboy" performed to a moved crowd. Next, the audience experienced a sultry "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star before Shaw let his hair down, literally, and lit the final fuze for an explosive one-two "I Can Hear You (Calling On Me)," "Got Me Feeling Good" finale.

As delighted fans left Union Stage, some pondered which solo songs would make their way into future Revivalists performances. The future is unknown in so many ways; however, we will long remember David Shaw's final lyrics echoing in our head:

All my troubles long gone

All night all night long

You got me feeling good

You got me feeling good....