Bonnie Raitt fills The Met with rock and remembrance

On Friday night, Bonnie Raitt and her band brought their Just Like That… tour to The Met and reminded us why she is a rock legend.  Her set was a mix of old and new, with many cuts from her 2022 album including the touching Raitt-penned title track which moved the crowd to a standing ovation.  Raitt’s gift as an interpreter of others’ songs shone through as well, playing her reggae-tinged take on Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down the Line” and of course her gorgeous version of John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery.”

She took us way back to her Philly roots, remembering The 2nd Fret and The Main Point with a scorching “Love Me Like A Man” from 1972’s Give It Up, and moved through her other eras as well, joking that this was in fact her Eras Tour.  She navigated her catalog seamlessly, one song a gorgeous ballad, the next a blues ripper. Throughout the night, she told stories talking about writing songs with her former husband, losing friends and coping with the losses, and she ended the night asking the crowd to remember those that came before, then launching into BB King’s “Never Make Your Move Too Soon,” complete with Raitt’s signature slide guitar solos.

Opener the James Hunter Six mesmerized the crowd with their rockabilly style and impressive solos. By the time Hunter tore into a cover of The 5 Royales’ “Baby Don’t Do It,” the Met was in the palm of the Six’s hand.

Check out a gallery of photos from the show below. Raitt and Hunter’s tour continues this week in New England, with gigs in Portland, Bridgeport, Boston and more. Full dates here.