Indigo Girls to play Port Chester's Capitol Theatre

Friday October 26, 2012 12:00 PM By Steve Knopper

Photo credit: Jeremy Cowart | The Indigo Girls (from left, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers) perform at The Paramount in Huntington on Oct. 25, 2012.

The Indigo Girls, who've been together almost 30 years, bring their act to Port Chester's Capitol Theatre on Saturday night. Newsday talked to Amy Ray, 48, about her love for the Rolling Stones and her connection with sweet-voiced music partner Emily Saliers.

I read that you take your bike with you on tour for long rides on your days off. How much advance work is necessary so you don't get lost or attacked by wolves?

There are days I have a few hours extra, and I'll just do 25 miles or something. It's just a way to get out, and I'll run my errands. I look in the phone book a lot of times for parks. I'll Google parks and print out maps and take my iPhone. Some towns, especially in the Midwest, have really great trails -- old railroad beds that turn into bicycle trails, and they go for miles and miles.

Are you an introvert?

Big-time! I'm definitely a hermit. I have to have that time by myself, away from everybody. Because the job's so social, when I'm on the bus or backstage and people are just everywhere, I find it keeps me sane to go away.

The title track to 2011's "Beauty Queen Sister" begins with a Keith Richards-style riff and refers to a "monkey man." Did you have the Stones in mind?

God, I didn't even think about the monkey-man reference, but now that you've said that ... The guitar sound was definitely influenced by the Stones. When I was writing, I wasn't really thinking about them, I was probably thinking more Springsteen, as far as a story. When we got into the studio, I was messing around with different amps and different tones, and that one sounded good.

Emily has said she wants to write more rock songs; does she ever show up in a leather jacket and a Hüsker Dü T-shirt and say, "Let's go"?

I mean, Emily definitely says to me, "I want to write a rock song," but it's not because I like rock songs. She just wants to. She listens to a lot of classic rock. She's got that in her. It's just not her typical writing style.

IF YOU GO:

What: Indigo Girls with The Shadowboxers

When: 8 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.) Saturday, Oct. 27

Info: Capitol Theatre, 149 Westchester Ave., Port Chester; 914-934-9362; www.thecapitoltheatre.com; $39.50

Photo: Amy Ray and Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls.

Tags: Port Chester , Capitol Theatre , concerts , events , Westchester