Kevin Bronson on October 13th, 2014

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Singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne graced the Greek Theatre with a powerful and emotive performance on Friday night. Backed by members of the Belle Brigade and bassist/cellist Zachariah Hickman, LaMontagne entertained a fairly chill crowd with a collection of new songs from his latest release “Supernova,” which came out in April, while also playing a handful of hits and fan favorites.

• ||| Photos by Michelle Shiers

“I guess in the spirit of looking back, we’re gonna play some old songs,” LaMontagne said, drawing big cheers from the audience, to which he replied, “Don’t get too excited, you’re gonna hurt my feelings.”

LaMontagne then moved into “Burn” and “Trouble” from his 2004 debut. His voice was passionately scratchy as he roared over the amphitheater. Trying to keep the atmosphere as intimate as possible, he treated the stage like a sacred space – speaking very little between numbers and letting the songs carry their own weight without the frills of showmanship. He once again proved himself as the reliable troubadour, serenading the Greek with his gruff croon and contemporary folk that seemed to be written just for such romantic fall evenings.

Support band the Belle Brigade warmed up a sparse early crowd fronted by siblings Barbara and Ethan Gruska, whose tight harmonies and hereditary musical prowess proved something to behold. Barbara’s rhythms and Ethan’s guitar-work drove the sweet melodies and folk-pop as the audience slowly trickled into their seats. Barbara, who pointed out that it was her brother’s birthday, addressed their parents somewhere in the crowd saying that they had done a pretty good job with him. The Belle Brigade’s folk-pop sound floated above each row, sometimes light and airy, sometimes filled with beautiful heartache but always full and brave.