Carolyn Wonderland

The Mondavi Center’s SummerMusic '07 series started out with a bang as Carolyn Wonderland wowed the crowd with her powerful voice.

To be honest, I had no idea what to expect. I had only listened to one of her more laid-back songs before the concert – and along with the advertised photo, I came out that night expecting a mellow, red-haired crooner. Boy was I wrong. Wonderland was FAR from mellow. I should’ve known that when several groups made sure to position themselves halfway down the quad because they heard that “she could be a little loud.”

Oh, she was not ear-splitting loud, but most of the time, she ripped and roared the crowd with her rocking, toe-tapping, catchy beats. With her red-hair whipping through the lights, she captured a new batch of fans that night as she ventured through a variety of styles – a mixture of rock, country, blues, soul, etc. Her songs touched on everything from tales of the heart to more political messages, such as her song “bloodless revolution.”

Wonderland’s vocals are unique. Her voice tended to be raw and powerful with emotion, yet defined. She reminds me a little of an early Janis Joplin, but with a country twang. Like Joplin, Wonderland was able to express enough passion in her voice to let her songs grab you by the shoulders and give you a good shake. Sometimes, though, she can slow down the music to where her voice pierces the soul with her blues-inspired lyrics.

I was in awe of her as she switched musical instruments several times that night, proving that her talents aren’t confined to just the guitar. Wonderland commanded the area with her stage presence and occasionally talked to the crowd. There was none of the regular small talk “How are you doing [fill in town name]?” She liked to make little quips, talk to her band, or give special introductions to her songs. One of my favorite parts of the night was when she was introducing a song about appreciating our farmers and, possibly anticipating some negativity, she ended her intro with “well, if you don’t like our farmers, don’t eat.”

After a couple hours of finger-tapping, dancing, and just sitting on the grass listening away to the talented musician, the night ended with a huge round of applause and a horde of people rushing towards the nearby booths to purchase her CDs. Overall, Wonderland made a successful debut in Davis.