The moment the band walked out onstage, I began to get an idea of what we were in for. Three horn players, a drummer, three guitars, an organ player, and lead singer decked out in bedazzled floor-length choir gown. I don’t think anyone in the crowd stopped moving from the first beats of the show until the last, rain soaked encore.

At first, it was hard to focus on anything other than the fabulous character that is lead singer Paul Janeway. A voice so powerful, clear, and emotive — it is impossible to imagine without hearing it. And though he was cloaked in sparkles, a friend beside me said he was the most exposed person there. And he truly was, pouring his soul out to the crowd, clearly articulating every emotion that ran through the music. And even while Janeway captured my mind and heart so quickly, by the end of the first song I became aware that the band had captured my body, and that of every person around me. Everybody was moving.

A few songs into the show, the music stopped for the first time. Janeway addressed the crowd and said how happy they were to be back in North Carolina. He also said how glad he was that the rain was holding off, and joked that now since he had mentioned it he had most likely jinxed it. Sure enough, as they started the next song, a ballad that showcased the very best of Janeway’s voice, the rain started up again. But, nobboy headed for the exit. Something as trivial as rain couldn’t have mattered less in the presence of such a captivating band.

The rain continued on and off for the rest of the show — through the funk turned psychedelic jam, through the horn solo battle, and through the improv guitar duel. Each musician showed how elite their skills were by how easily they could play with the music. The madness continued until the crowd begged for an encore and the rain turned to a torrential down poor, ultimately sending people scattering into the night with jovial smiles, warm hearts, and tired bodies.