On the eve of this year's summer solstice, the room shone brightly with dozens of small white lights. As the sun continued to burn and the lights threw out their tiny glows, Mary Dolan appeared before the crowd to warm up the show for featured guests, Berkley Hart.

Dolan delighted the crowd with favorites full of sweet love, hopeful joy and promise like "Marcia Brady," "Grow" and "Good Life." She favored her Irish Catholic background with tunes "Sister Mary" and "Rickity Tickity Tin." To round out the spirited show that seemed to seep with Mary's positive energy, she belted out a rousing rendition of "Piece of My Heart," made popular by Janis Joplin, and then brought friends Berkley Hart up front to close the performance with her raucous tune (co-written with Steve Poltz), "76 Miles." Mary rocks. See her whenever you can.

Berkley Hart came on back shortly thereafter with what has become their opening song, "Come On In." Working in their traditional form as a duo, Jeff & Calman spun gold with other people's songs (Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight," James Taylor's "Bartender's Blues," David Wilcox's "Rusty Old American Dream") and made magic with their own tunes including "Texas Line," "Wake Up Charlie" and "Achin' Feelin'." They also performed some songs from their new record including the title track, "Something To Fall Back On," "My My My" and "Woody Guthrie Knew." Living up to their reputation as serious songwriters with serious funny sides, the duo also served up some lighthearted stuff with "BFD," "Big Bad Barbie Doll" and even a little "Free Bird."

But bringing it all together at the end of the night, they never fail to invoke the great spirits who've made it all possible. The house joined in on a stirring version of "This Land is Your Land" followed by encores of Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" and their own "Helluva Highway."

The sold-out crowd was generous in its praises and were proud to have been part of the glorious celebration to welcome summer and the return of Berkley Hart to Meeting Grace.

 

Read about the second night of the summer solstice celebration! See photos from both shows!