Cam Performs at the Ryman with Special Guests
- Samantha Graessle
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Californian singer-songwriter Cam returned to the Ryman stage on Sunday for a night filled with tears, dancing and soulful music as a part of her “The Slow Down Tour.”
Cam recently released her third studio album “All Things Light,” which received acclaim from NPR, Billboard, People Magazine and USA Today, on top of working with Beyoncé as a songwriter for Cowboy Carter, which won her a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Performing alongside Cam were openers Britton Smith, a funk-soul inspired artist and Anna Vaus, a dreamy acoustic country singer-songwriter.
“It was overwhelming playing at the Ryman for the first time, but also it was just such an honor to be in such a historic building and on a stage that my heroes have played on. Especially with Cam, who is on the same list for me,” said Vaus.
After a brief pause between sets, the lights fell as sounds of birdsong filled the auditorium as a single band member plucking acoustic guitar made his way on stage before Cam emerged in a white pantsuit to sing “Slow Down” in a trio with her band members.
Decorations on stage were minimal aside from a large white cloth draped on poles to resemble a bird in flight.
Following her opening song, Cam took an intimate moment to greet fans, instructing the audience to take deep breaths and set their intentions for the night.
“You don't have to worry about the past. You don't have to stress about the future. This is this one moment in time we all get to be on the same page and cry and laugh and dance together, and I want you to be fully present, OK?” said Cam.
Playing a selection of powerful ballads from “All Things Light,” Cam continued the show with “Turns Out That I Am God,” “Alchemy” and “Everblue” before transitioning into “Canyon” by joking with fans to let out a howl together.
Emphasizing her haunting vocals, Cam performed her emotionally intense track “Hallelujah,” which she shared reflects on the unspoken impact COVID-19 left on the world.
Transitioning into a softer but no less impactful set, Cam brought her daughter to the stage for a short rendition of a lullaby before playing a song dedicated to her sister, “Just For You,” leaving not a dry eye in the audience, while also giving meaning to the bird on stage.
“This bird is an egret which brings good news and they’re watching out for us … and I feel my sister is here with us in the form of this egret right now,” said Cam.
The lights dimmed again for Cam to briefly exit the stage; upon return transitioning into an upbeat set including “Look At The Pretty Girls!” which wittily included a clarinet solo by Owen Young.
After two songs from her 2015 album “Untamed,” “Hungover On Heartbreak” and “Mayday,” Cam introduced special guest Matt Kearney to perform his 2006 song, “Nothing Left To Lose.”
With a lively performance of “Diane” from her 2020 country-pop inspired album “The Otherside," Cam had the audience on its feet to introduce Brittney Spencer, who performed an acoustic duet of her feature song on “COWBOY CARTER,” “BLACKBIIRD.”
Even after Spencer left the stage, Cam continued to pay tribute to Beyoncé, with a stirring americana rendition of “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” while red, white and blue were projected onto the egret behind her.
“There's something about being American, we’re just such dreamers, and I know you've heard that term so much, but you know, we are such dreamers where we are always reaching for ideals and we have so many beautiful concepts that we never fully reach,” said Cam.
Closing the performance, Cam not only left the audience in tears with her most streamed song “Burning House,” but also with her encore of “Village.”
“Cam all around is just amazing. I've seen her several times, and she just gets better every time, there is just no comparison to any other artist,” said audience member Skylar Parton.
“The Slow Down Tour” will continue through the end of February.
This article was written by Samantha Graessle