The opportunity to hear great singer/songwriters live is one of the most pleasurable experiences in music and this pairing of two outstanding female artists - Austin's Abra Moore and Nashville-based Garrison Starr -was an exceptional evening of clear acoustics and inspired performances. Accordingly, the audience was at rapt attention throughout-there was nary a sour note sounded the entire night.

Moore manages to convey an enduring belief in beauty and the search for love even as you suspect many tears have been shed through the experiences she documents in her songs. Her guitar strumming was wonderfully resonant, and she was ably assisted by secondary guitarist/backup vocalist Will Sexton.

Moore performed several songs from her new album, including the mesmerizing "Sugarite," which has melodically satisfying chord changes and powerful wordless vocals among its many virtues.

Other new songs included "You," which created a memorable atmosphere through a repeated two-chord arrangement and Moore's emotive delivery, and "Into the Sunset," a dreamy bit of reverie about a boy who liked to go shirtless in the rain. Closing with the title track from Everything Changed, Moore left the crowd wanting, well, more - always a good thing. -- Playback St. Louis