I don't think it really matters who I see. I mostly like going to Tanglewood for the whole lawn experience.
That being said, this was my second time at a James Taylor show there (went to the 4th of July show two years ago) and third 4th of July weekend show. The lawn is packed. And it's awesome. It's like the Dave Matthews Band tailgate crowd except fancy and more organized (we're talking picnic blankets, little tables, candles and flower vases to go along with your wine and natural food store brand crackers and chips), so it's like Dave Matthews for older people. I hope some band I like right now has enough staying power like James Taylor to stop at a place like Tanglewood for 3 sold-out shows.
He played all his classics, and he alternated with Carole King in singing by themselves or together. James Taylor gave us "Your Smiling Face" and "Fire and Rain" and sounded great. Carole King gave us "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," which a lot of women got up and danced too - some even forming groups, shouting to one another that no one else in their group wanted to dance with them. Toward the end, we got "You've Got a Friend," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" and "Carolina On My Mind" from both. James Taylor always sounds the same, but Carole sounded really tired. This was her first tour in a while, even though she came out and sang at the James Taylor show two years ago, and it could be because her voice is usually hoarse, but it sounded really hoarse and strained, so I was glad she only sang for half the songs.
Yo Yo Ma made a guest appearance, which I guess I should have expected since the last James Taylor show I saw included surprise appearances by Carole King, Yo Yo Ma and John Travolta (who MCed). No John Travolta this time, but Yo Yo Ma was a great addition.
It was the 4th of July weekend, but because we went on Monday, there weren't fireworks. Still a pretty good time though. We're thinking of seeing John Williams conduct the Boston Pops for Film Night at Tanglewood this year on Aug. 14. We went to Film Night last year and got a surprise appearance by Steven Spielberg.
You can find the 2010 Tanglewood schedule here: http://www.bso.org/bso/mods/complete_season.jsp?id=bcat12400010
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