Indigo Girls proved on Sunday that strong voices and deft harmonies trump fussed-over stage presentation. Photos by Mark Osler.

Indigo Girls @ Chautauqua Park

While living in the magical world of Brooklyn this past year, there were certain things I took for granted about spending the last 26 years in Colorado. I never thought I would say that I missed a place like Boulder, but I did. As we headed up to Chautauqua Sunday night for the Indigo Girls, I realized how breathtaking the mountains I had become so accustomed to really were.

It's odd how people can drive to the mall everyday of their lives and not notice the gorgeous Rockies in the skyline. Chautauqua is a majestic multi-purpose park tucked away off Baseline Road at the edge of the Flatirons, which, in addition to the Colorado-centric barn venue, includes over 40 cottages, a dining hall and plenty of space for family picnics. The weather was comfortably mild and temperate, and it was the perfect setting for an evening show with the Indigos.

Canadian singer-songwriter Ferron and her Brooklyn-based collaborator/label head Bitch opened the sold-out show promptly at 8 p.m., the duo switching between songs from both their repertoires.

Ferron was promoting her latest release, "Boulder," on Bitch's label, Short Story Records, a collection of collaborations by the likes of Ani DiFranco, JD Samson (Le Tigre) and Bitch herself. The combination of Ferron's rough, soothing voice layered with Bitch's more snide, smart vocals and violin playing proved an interesting parallel to Farron's sleepy and meditative lyrics.

Song likes "Shady Gate" and "Already Gone" reverberated through the barn's rafters, a surprisingly powerful showing for such a stripped-down duo. Bitch performed a ukulele version of "Stayin' Alive," thanking goddess and dedicating the version to all the radicals in the crowd. An odd pair visually, Bitch and Ferron satisfied the audience with a gentle and pleasing 45-minute set.

When Emily Saliers and Amy Ray entered the stage, the bottom half of my body had practically fallen asleep from sitting on a plank for the last hour, but I rose from my seat with the rest of the audience to greet them. Being fairly new to the music of the Indigo Girls' 20-year+ career, I fell in love almost immediately. As much as production and fanfare can be important to a performance, there is something to be said for musicians who come out in plain clothes, relying solely on the music that brings them together with their fans.

Their beautiful harmonizing warmed the musty evening air, opening with "Fill it Up," followed by "Heartache for Everyone" and "Pendulum Swinger." Switching guitars every song or so and keeping banter to a minimum, the show remained about the lushness of two voices, punctuated only by the faint organ and accordion sounds of back-up player Julie Wolf.

The Indigos looked at home in the Boulder venue as they swayed through songs like "Gone Again" and the audience sing-along "Power of Two," speaking briefly of being dropped by their label, and the blessing in disguise it turned out to be. Then they played new tracks off their untitled, unreleased album, "Fleet of Hope" and "Second Time Around" — both nice additions to their expansive collection of songs.

Midway through, the Indigo Girls brought recently signed local artist Matt Morris on stage then snuck away while he played an original of his own, "Love." The response from the mellow crowd was positive, and he re-introduced Amy and Emily for the second portion of their set.

They played "The Wood Song," audience favorite "Prince of Darkness" and "Shame on You," bringing some of their famous bluegrass touch to the evening. To finish out their 23-song set, the Indigo Girls invited Matt and Bitch back on stage and they played their most mainstream and famous song, "Closer to Fine."

Minus the drunken college girls hooting and hollering inappropriately in front of me (and irritating the other 12 rows of people on the uncomfortable benches behind them) for most of the set, I enjoyed the presence of the Indigo Girls and their crowd. They're good to their audience, and it is obvious they are grateful to be in the same space with so many people who like what they do. And I think I like what they do, too.

Reverb contributor Bree Davies is a Denver-based writer.
Contributor Mark Osler is a Pulitzer Prize-winning freelance photographer.