Sliding into the spotlight as she walked on stage at the Vogue Theatre on Tuesday night (6.9.09), Lucinda Williams, with her now brunette-not-blonde hair, a flowing white long-sleeved blouse matched with a black vest, seemed relaxed. Maybe it was the confidence of supporting an excellent album (“Little Honey”) on the tour. Or maybe it’s the knowledge that her backing band (Buick 6) brings the rock and roll goods.
Or most likely, she knows just how good her songs really are.
Over the next two hours, Williams proceeded to rip through 25 songs from her stellar catalogue, and magic happened when it clicked; the band rocked, her glorious voice purred and shouted, and both left room for the music to breathe.
The back half of the night was full of energy, scorching guitars, slamming drums and Williams’ high and lonesome rock voice. While many of her terrific relationship songs were loaded into the front of the show, there was the large crowd’s palpable, growing desire for the band and singer to catch fire together and elevate the energy level in the room.
After opening the concert with “I Just Wanted to See You So Bad”, and the island-flavored “Big Red Sun Blues”, both off her self-titled 1988 album, it was evident her band (who also played 35 minutes of rocking and nuanced instrumentals as the opening act) was well suited for Williams. They push her, just as her own lyrics and unique voice pull the band into moments of magic. They need each other.
“Can’t Let Go” was a pleaser, one of a half dozen songs she would play from “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road”, her 1998 masterpiece that still stands as her crowning achievement. “Concrete and Barbed Wire” (also from that album) followed, giving the crowd gospel in the music and falsetto in her singing.
“Learning How to Live”, from 2007’s “West” record was a highlight of this early part of the show, with well-placed Hammond B3 keys, and Williams’ signature tough-as-hell-but still fragile delivery, The song contained echoes of Bruce Springsteen’s “Fade Away”. It was beautifully executed.
The new record’s “Tears of Joy” paid homage to a Stax/Al Green/Memphis groove and also got the first big audience response when the band ripped into the instrumental sections and turned the tune into fiery rock and roll, grabbing the crowd’s attention. “Are You Alright?” was beautiful, sung as a would-be lover pining for someone long gone, while “Ventura” had a 60’s pop feel, complete with a sublime Beach Boys-influenced background vocal.
Two off the “Gravel Road” record followed; “Jackson” was performed with stand-up bass and the anthemic “I Lost It” featured a vocal performance from Williams that one-upped the recorded version. At 56, Lucinda’s vocals sound better than ever live, and she wasn’t fearful of pushing her voice as the band roared behind her. The only time she was tough to hear was between songs late in the show when the crowd’s appreciative applause and screams drowned her out. When that happened, her big smile revealed that the noise was OK with her.
As Indianapolis was shown by Williams’ performance, two strengths head the list of her virtues as an artist: the consistent sexiness of her words and songs, and the depth of her material, both in individual tunes, and the cumulative effect of her output over the past 20 years.
Calling “Drunken Angel”, (another off of “Car Wheels on Gravel Road”) her version of Bob Seger’s “Beautiful Loser”, she swayed left to right and up and down as she played her guitar. The new album’s “Little Rock Star” had the feel of an epic as the momentum built.
Faith was rewarded as the show took flight over final seven songs of the set, beginning with the chiming “la la la’s” of “Out of Touch” from her 2001 album “Essence”, and into her recent single “Real Love”. Next came the driving country rocker “Real Live Bleeding Fingers and Broken Guitar” from 2003’s “World Without Tears”, followed by the great, sexy kiss-off of “Come On”. That led into a roaring “Honey Bee” from her new album, which had the musicians in a tight circle at center stage, pounding their way through the rocker.
“Righteously” closed the set, featuring a buzzsaw guitar and lyrics showcasing essential Lucinda Williams attitude: honesty, a bit of anger, and always hinting that she’s one bad ass chick who can be yours if you could only figure out how to love both her charms and daggers.
The three-song encore proved a bit anti-climactic, saved by the AC/DC cover of “It’s a Long Way to the Top” that’s the last cut on her “Little Honey” record. A nearly full Vogue theater, damn good for weeknight, was acknowledged by Williams, obviously enjoying, and seemingly a bit surprised by, her crowd’s screaming warmth.
concert reviews
Concert Review – Hoosier Springsteen Show featuring Tim Grimm, Jason Wilber, Bobbie Lancaster, Gordon Bonham and White Lightning Boys
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_voEMwQcYgA]
Saturday night’s Hoosier Springsteen — a tribute to Springsteen’s music paid by Indiana artists — proved to be an inspired effort not only by the musicians, but also by the crowd, who hung in and responded throughout the three-plus hour show. It was the first edition of the event, put together by Indiana songwriter Tim Grimm, following on the Grimm-organized Hoosier Dylan tribute show.
Unlike doing a similar show for nearly any other artist, those on stage had to meet the challenge of doing more than simply singing Bruce’s songs. To be truly effective in capturing the essence of Springsteen, they had to hit on at least two of the three skills that make Springsteen legendary. They did.
It’s hard to miss on the songs. With few exceptions, Springsteen’s catalogue of songs is exquisite, with more tunes to choose from than could be played in one night.
Secondly, there’s the performance. While albums like “Nebraska” or “The Ghost of Tom Joad” are unarguably lo-fi affairs, picking a song from a record like “Born to Run”, “Darkness on the Edge of Town” or even “Born in the USA” means taking on the iconic music too. It’s either replicate or reinvent if you take a shot at those records.
And the third challenge is finding a way to add a little homage to Springsteen’s live show. The best live performer of his generation, the Hoosier Springsteen gang needed to bring the power, the touches of gospel and the push that comes with his live performance for the night to be a complete success.
Turning a rundown Crump Theatre in Columbus, Indiana into the perfect venue for a debut of a the Grimm-led series, the singer and actor took a break from performing in a stage play in Chicago to trek back to Southern Indiana and treat the 150 or so in attendance to a night that made us glad we were there.
Among the performers included Grimm, John Prine guitarist Jason Wilber, guitarist and songwriter Gordon Bonham, Bloomington-based singer and songwriter Bobbie Lancaster and hillbilly bluegrass band White Lightning Boys, plus a terrific backing band, highlighted by the spectacularly tasteful Troye Kinnett, from John Mellencamp’s band, on keys.
WATCH VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
Leaning heavily on “Nebraska” and “Born In the USA” material – 14 of the night’s 31 (!) songs were from those two early and mid 80’s records – the musicians found “Nebraska” perfect for a night of Americana songwriters playing Bruce music. Yet it was individual performances that elevated the evening’s best moments, when performers strayed slightly from the records.
Columbus singer Dale Sechrest opened each of the two sets solo, “Cover Me” appropriately starting the show, followed by the obscure “Jesus Was an Only Son” to a hushed crowd. Wilber, a hell of a guitar player, introduced the band with a rollicking “Hungry Heart” and the first magical moment of the night, teaming with Bonham and Kinnett for an angry “State Trooper”. Lancaster provided the first glimpse at her engaging stage persona and “aw shucks, ain’t I a killer singer?” voice with a bluegrass-inflected “All I’m Thinking About is You” from the “Devils and Dust” album.
Grimm joined for Lancaster for a smoldering duet of “I’m on Fire,” the band’s restrained playing and Kinnett’s mid-80’s keyboard touch gluing the song together, making it new and classic at once. Perfect.
Bonham’s first turn at vocals came with Nebraska’s” “Reason to Believe”, morphed into a country shuffle, complete with Lancaster and two friends dancing behind the band. The band stayed with the 1982 album for “Open All Night”, creating a jubilant rock song that had the audience moving up front to dance and Jason and Gordon trading searing leads. Another keeper.
Poet Matthew Jackson provided a breather with his first of three appearances, reading original poetry, before the White Lightning Boys turned in an Avett Brothers-like performance of “I’m Goin’ Down”, followed by the economic hardship song “Youngstown” from The Ghost of Tom Joad.
Grimm and his wife Jan dueted beautifully on the sad story song “Highway Patrolman”, before the group hit on a set of tunes that became the best segment of the night. “Devils and Dust” started the momentum with a great vocal from Tim, and a more uptempo performance than on the record, followed by “Johnny 99,” featuring stinging leads from Bonham’s Fender Telecaster.
But it was the Wilber/Bonham duet on “Born in the USA” – just two guys, two Telecasters and a bit of a crowd singalong too – that told the crowd why they came. Wicked guitar playing and Wilber emanating a comfortable yet forceful energy on stage perfect for the song and the night. That song led into the full band’s rousing and fun “Glory Days.”
Lancaster grabbed “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep” off the Seeger Sessions” record, released in 2006, with Kinnett’s accordian playing and Lancaster’s southern lilt working together. “My Hometown” wrapped the first set up, and it clicked along nicely, in part because she changed the lyrics to reflect a daughter instead of a son in the song.
A more ragged second set began with a trio of songs from the bluegrass White Lightning Boys, on stage for “Old Dan Tucker”, “Nebraska” and “Mrs. McGrath”, followed by Grimm and Wilber for the title cut from “The Ghost of Tom Joad”. Sechrest came back for Seeger Session’s obscure “Eye on the Prize”.
Give the band extra kudos for next tackling one of the legendary anthems of Springsteen canon. “Racing in the Street” is long, beautiful, and iconic. Not the easist to pull off, but they did. “Used Cars”, and a pair from the 1995 “Greatest Hits” album followed, with Tom Clark contributing a lovely sax solo during “Secret Garden,” replete with Wilber playing along, eyes closed, fully in the moment.
Grimm led “Blood Brothers” with son Conner onstage playing bass, and they stayed for a joyous “Thunder Road”. Bonham burned in a rendition of “Atlantic City”, using a fiery Bruce concert arrangement.
An unexpected “Meeting Across the River” off “Born to Run” from Jason led to a finale of the title cut from that 1975 record, putting a fitting cap on a Springteen length live show.
For a Bruce fan, it was special to watch some of the best from our little state tackle Jersey’s chosen son. And give the crowd credit for making the night fun and helping make the first shot at performing this show a winner. Worth a trip to Danville to see the next outing on June 20.
Concert Review- Graham Parker – Lafayette, IN
Graham Parker, who played Friday night at Duncan Hall in Lafayette, is one of those rock and roll guys who has written and recorded great music, yet hasn’t risen to the level of being known outside a tight circle of music fans. If you think about it (and I have), he’s kind of like the English John Hiatt – another longtime steady, literate, brilliant songwriter who’s capable of pairing lyrics with memorable melodies that get a bit dirty and soulful. And that’s what Parker did for nearly two hours Friday night.
Known for his pub and punk inflected rock music, he used the intimate setting (seated audience of 200 or so) to play the role of storyteller, introducing most songs and spinning some tales. Playing for the “Friends of Bob” music series, Parker took advantage of the rapt audience, playing no-speakers-needed quiet at times for the politely enthusiastic audience. Parker ran through 21 songs, reaching back to his 1976 debut album Howlin’ Wind and drawing from his most recent effort, Carp Fishing on Valium, a soundtrack to his book of the same name.
In an ode to the times, suggesting that even an old rocker can embrace change, Parker highlighted cuts throughout the night from the Carp release, an album available only on his website. Songs told of a character named Brian Porker, a somewhat fictional (or is Brian really Graham? — only Parker knows) rock semi-casualty of the ’80s. Graham is nothing if not intelligent and quirky. He always has been. Still, the songs stand alone, backstory or not. “Chloroform”, “Brain Surgery” and especially “Custom Fanny” echoed his older, more satirical material.
“They Got it Wrong (As Usual)” from 1996’s Bubblegum Acid was one of a number of forgotten songs that he pulled out and gave a renewed life with the help of an intro that helped endear him to the audience.
And really, it wasn’t a rabid Graham Parker let’s-tear-his-sunglasses-off crowd. There were some hardcore fans scattered throughout, very familiar with Parker’s career. And many more who seemingly understood his significance in rock history. Parker came out of the British pub rock scene with Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds, among others, a full year before Elvis Costello would release his debut album. I would affix a label of “legendary rocker” if one were to ask me about his status in rock and roll.
Switching guitars midway through the set, Parker went from acoustic guitar to a Fender Telecaster electric, and hit on the highlight of the night, a heartfelt and in-the-moment performance of “Temporary Beauty” from 1982’s Another Grey Area. On record, it’s as close as he gets to that ’79 sound; live in Lafayette, Parker made it intimate and all his.
A late-set trio of songs from his most critically acclaimed record, 1979’s Squeezing Out Sparks juiced up the audience. It’s the album that most longtime fans would own. (Parker noted its 30th anniversary this year would be celebrated somewhere, possibly Tasmania). He played back-to-back versions of “Love Gets You Twisted”, “Discovering Japan” and a terrific take on “Passion is No Ordinary Word”, pulling the audience into his repeated chorus refrain. It was one of the magical moments of the night.
Parker’s four-song encore included a splendid Zevon-like performance of “Last Stop to Nowhere” from 2001’s Deepcut to Nowhere record. He enlisted the crowd into a hearty singalong for “Local Girls” from the Sparks album and, coming full circle, finished with “Not If It Pleases Me” from his debut record.
My only complaint was that Parker virtually ignored 2007’s Don’t Tell Columbus album, playing just one song from it. It’s as close to Americana/alt-country as Parker gets, with inspired performances of good songs, and a clean, powerful, rocking sound. Excellent songs on an excellent record.
In the end, Parker earned two standing ovations, started one fun singalong and told many stories, sharing some of what he knows from his 30+ years on the road.
The audience got a performer seemingly comfortable with his place in music, with only hints of the “angry young man” he once was labeled. He has matured and built himself a strong, deep catalog of songs. Parker’s voice and guitar sound just like they should. Excellent show, played with just enough attitude to remind us where he’s been and that he still matters.
***
From the Vaults: The very first MTV Unplugged in 1992, with Graham Parker and the Smithereens
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bOBOhZYXBM]
Known for his pub and punk inflected rock music, he used the intimate setting (seated audience of 200 or so) to play the role of storyteller, introducing most songs and spinning some tales. Playing for the “Friends of Bob” music series, Parker took advantage of the rapt audience, playing no-speakers-needed quiet at times for the politely enthusiastic audience. Parker ran through 21 songs, reaching back to his 1976 debut album Howlin’ Wind and drawing from his most recent effort, Carp Fishing on Valium, a soundtrack to his book of the same name.
In an ode to the times, suggesting that even an old rocker can embrace change, Parker highlighted cuts throughout the night from the Carp release, an album available only on his website. Songs told of a character named Brian Porker, a somewhat fictional (or is Brian really Graham? — only Parker knows) rock semi-casualty of the ’80s. Graham is nothing if not intelligent and quirky. He always has been. Still, the songs stand alone, backstory or not. “Chloroform”, “Brain Surgery” and especially “Custom Fanny” echoed his older, more satirical material.
“They Got it Wrong (As Usual)” from 1996’s Bubblegum Acid was one of a number of forgotten songs that he pulled out and gave a renewed life with the help of an intro that helped endear him to the audience.
And really, it wasn’t a rabid Graham Parker let’s-tear-his-sunglasses-off crowd. There were some hardcore fans scattered throughout, very familiar with Parker’s career. And many more who seemingly understood his significance in rock history. Parker came out of the British pub rock scene with Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds, among others, a full year before Elvis Costello would release his debut album. I would affix a label of “legendary rocker” if one were to ask me about his status in rock and roll.
Switching guitars midway through the set, Parker went from acoustic guitar to a Fender Telecaster electric, and hit on the highlight of the night, a heartfelt and in-the-moment performance of “Temporary Beauty” from 1982’s Another Grey Area. On record, it’s as close as he gets to that ’79 sound; live in Lafayette, Parker made it intimate and all his.
A late-set trio of songs from his most critically acclaimed record, 1979’s Squeezing Out Sparks juiced up the audience. It’s the album that most longtime fans would own. (Parker noted its 30th anniversary this year would be celebrated somewhere, possibly Tasmania). He played back-to-back versions of “Love Gets You Twisted”, “Discovering Japan” and a terrific take on “Passion is No Ordinary Word”, pulling the audience into his repeated chorus refrain. It was one of the magical moments of the night.
Parker’s four-song encore included a splendid Zevon-like performance of “Last Stop to Nowhere” from 2001’s Deepcut to Nowhere record. He enlisted the crowd into a hearty singalong for “Local Girls” from the Sparks album and, coming full circle, finished with “Not If It Pleases Me” from his debut record.
My only complaint was that Parker virtually ignored 2007’s Don’t Tell Columbus album, playing just one song from it. It’s as close to Americana/alt-country as Parker gets, with inspired performances of good songs, and a clean, powerful, rocking sound. Excellent songs on an excellent record.
In the end, Parker earned two standing ovations, started one fun singalong and told many stories, sharing some of what he knows from his 30+ years on the road.
The audience got a performer seemingly comfortable with his place in music, with only hints of the “angry young man” he once was labeled. He has matured and built himself a strong, deep catalog of songs. Parker’s voice and guitar sound just like they should. Excellent show, played with just enough attitude to remind us where he’s been and that he still matters.
***
From the Vaults: The very first MTV Unplugged in 1992, with Graham Parker and the Smithereens
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bOBOhZYXBM]
Concert Review: Healing Sixes/The Garrison at Radio Radio
The Healing Sixes successfully rocked a good crowd of 150 at their Radio Radio show on Saturday night. The Indianapolis band, who have been active for more than a decade, seem on the verge of becoming an “it” band all these years later. So can I give one suggestion to make them even better? Make a sax player, like the one who joined Saturday, a fulltime bandmember.
The band, opening with “Beautiful One” and “Port-O-Let Monkey”, proved adept at blending 70’s rock influences with enough of their own personality to continue to forge an identity that may yet get them into territory once occupied by the Why Store.
Mixing up the setlist with cuts from 2007’s “One Less Friend” album, their work with Joe Bonamassa, and 2002’s “Enormosound”, the band paired some sugary hooks with alt-rock crunch. Plus, they had the elusive likability factor in their favor; You watch and want them to be good because they play with a palpable, relaxed confidence.
Bandmates Doug Henthorn, Eric Saylors, Wade Parish and Jeff Stone channeled Black Crowes, Collective Soul, Led Zeppelin and even a little Cheap Trick, which ain’t ever a bad thing. Their “Fine Tune”, originally recorded with Bonamassa, was another set highlight, with slamming blues riffs and Henthorn’s gruffly sweet vocals carrying the song.
A word to all bands who do mostly original material: good decision. It is the direction best traveled to being taken seriously as a band and finding long-term success. I know that. But throw in a cover song, and some inventive ways to let us know that you know it is only rock and roll. And Healing Sixes did, with a Zep cover and the inserting opening lines from The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy”). Well done. Also smart move to experiment on a couple songs with the one-night-only addition of saxophonist Max McAllister. He’s a writer and business owner in the motorcycle racing industry. And a damn good sax man. The addition of a sax gave the group a tighter connection to the crowd and an R&B edge that sparked the crowd and the band.
Now, maybe McAllister wouldn’t be the man, but if I were in Healing Sixes, adding a horn would be a discussion worth having. Sure, a fifth member is dividing the payday one more way, but how many bands are doing new, rough-edged rock with twin chunking and screaming Gibson Les Paul guitars and a sax? In Indiana? Anywhere? I’m just sayin’ think about it. It worked superbly Saturday night.
The show was presented by On the Throttle TV, a motorcycle racing show. Healing Sixes drummer Parish, as well as the lead singer for opening band The Garrison, Scott Smallwood, and his bass player Pete Cline are all racers.
The openers rampaged through 45-minutes of punk-inflected music much like motorcycle racers compete: full of energy and a bit out of control. Not necessarily a bad template, but not completely successful on this night, though they tried hard to connect with the crowd. Smallwood still needs to refine his stage banter, and use more resonating between-song comments to get the crowd motivated rather than chiding them for not getting closer to the stage. But the band was tight and plowed forward, and at their best, had hints of 70’s Police, The Cure, The Clash and even the 80’s band The Godfathers. (Remember “Birth, School,Work, Death”?) At their worst? Faith No More.
Radio Radio is a great music room, with good, clean sound again Saturday, and Healing Sixes, with a couple shows coming up with the 2009 version of the Why Store, seem to be building some nice momentum. Not an easy thing to do for any group, and impressive coming 11 years after releasing their first album, “Maple”. It could be a good 2009 for the band.
Concert Review: Jason Wilber & His Fabulous Band w/Tim Grimm/The Royal Theatre/Danville, IN
It’s rare to take the three variables of every concert – venue, sound and performer – and get all three right. Saturday night, the three came together in a better-than-should-be expected way, and gave the Jason Wilber show at the Royal Theatre in Danville a magical quality.
Wilber, the fulltime guitar player for folk legend John Prine, hushed a crowd of nearly 300 at the historic theatre with his folk-inflected songs. It was a wise move to bring along a full band, featuring a sax and trumpet, drums and bass, and John Mellencamp’s keyboard player Troye Kinnett all finding the spots to sneakily shine.
It was a listening audience, less concerned with chatting up friends than they were to hang on the notes and the words of the performance. A nice change from the cacophony that can be a club show.
The musicians took advantage of the focused audience to hit their spots and serve the music. Tim Grimm and wife Jan opened the show, with 40 minutes of exquisite vocal interplay, understated and funny stories, and Tim’s great folk finger-picking. He adds a bit of percussion to his strumming and pushes the songs along, while Jan’s high harmonies would make Emmylou Harris smile. I’d drop him into a Lyle Lovett/Robert Earle Keen/James McMurtry for this night. Midway through their set, Jan pulled out an instrument she called a “spring drum” to an evocative, rumbling success, perfectly providing a unique duet to Tim’s words and guitar. A thoroughly enjoyable set.
Clean, nearly pristine sound is an element of the great little theatre. So many times at a show, I can’t hear certain instruments, or the volume is too loud or not loud enough. I am picky about the mix at a show, and am relatively unsympathetic to a room (and live sound man) that could do better, especially if it is a music venue that hosts shows regularly. Whether you have had 5 or 50 years to solve any problems with the venue sound mix, if a room sounds good, I like to think it’s an owner who cares enough to make it right. They have it right at Royal.
Wilber put together the evening with Grimm (he and Grimm and Wilber work together on many occasions, including recording a unique “soundtrack” to James Still’s play “Amber Waves” which is the story of immigrants who settle on a farm in Indiana.) and his decision to bring a band (Jason Wilber and His Fabulous Band) elevated Wilber’s music. The five other musicians were effective in pushing the energy level higher on many of Jason’s tunes. Laying down a Stax-like sound on the upbeat songs, and fitting and filling in beautifully on the slow songs, Kinnett especially shined, not just on solos, but coloring the night’s music with pretty piano and a gospel B3 sound.
Jason was generous with the providing spots for musicians to step forward, making eye contact with each in most songs, nodding for solos to start, and smiling to himself when the band put him in the musical pocket so he could close his eyes and feel the music around him.
He told stories throughout the evening, many short and simply told recollections of where he wrote a song (whether it was in St. John’s, Newfoundland, or London) and then letting the audience hear the rest of the story as he played it.
Mixing older songs off his solo records with what he revealed as new music, Wilber was comfortable, seasoned and engaged all night. His story about sitting in Russell Square in London, on his way to, but never arriving at, a famous art museum, was typical of the evening. Good stories told in a movie house. He remembered how he enjoyed the park in London and its surroundings far too much to leave, even for a museum he was informed he must see.
Emitting a nice 1970s vibe, the theatre, built in 1927 and smartly refurbished, has the letter “R” in multiple monogram-style spots on each side of a blueish/green room color. Or that’s the color to me ,with the lights low and after a visit to the hidden jewel of the night: a tiny theatre taproom. (They have area-brewed beers and wine).
Can you tell it was a good evening? A terrific night of heartland-infused music, in a cool theatre, from two Indiana singer/songwriters who represent a folk tradition that, based on this night, seems pretty healthy in Central Indiana.
The Royal Theatre has upcoming shows on the schedule; the booking of Alejandro Escovedo in April is brilliant. He’s touring behind a fantastic album and Springsteen-certified after the two dueted on Escovedo’s “Always a Friend” at a Bruce show in 2008.
Put me down for two.
Concert Review: Old Crow Medicine Show – The Vogue/Indianapolis
The crowd at the sold out Vogue Theatre was ready for the Old Crow Medicine Show to bring the old country instrumentation and killer harmonies to town on Saturday night, and the Nashville band didn’t disappoint those packed into the club.
By the time the band hit their third song, “Humdinger” from their
recent Tennessee Pusher album, both the group and the crowd were
into high-energy mode.
Performing most of the songs off the new record, OCMS’ guitarist and singer
Willie Watson introduced “Next Go Round” as a “genuine country song,” and then singer/fiddle player Ketch Secor dedicated “I HearThem All” to Pete Seeger, who they had met the night before at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival.
Old Crow dipped generously into two of their older albums, 2006’s “Big Iron World” and 2004’s “O.C.M.S.” for “James River Blues”, a rousing “Union Made”, crowd favorite “Cocaine Habit” and
their most well-known song, “Wagon Wheel”, which got the fans of the band into full singalong gear midway through the second of two sets they played.
Their bluesy version of “C.C.Rider” was dedicated to the women in the house, and Secor spent much of the between-song moments reciting landmarks in Indianapolis, and making it known the band had studied up on Broad Ripple
and the Hoosier State. He ripped off a list of cities and towns as the encores ran down, mentioning Goshen, Richmond, Vincennes, Fort Wayne and Evansville.
Their reputation for live show preceded them, and OCMS connected Saturday night. For a rock and roll/bluegrass band that doesn’t make it onto the radio too often, and relies on word-of-mouth, the web and their reputation to build
their audience up, they did nothing to disappoint the Indy folks, most of whom obviously have the albums and/or have seen them play before, judging from the reaction to both the new and old material.
Good to see the knowledge Indianapolis has for a roots band like Old Crow Medicine
Show. A nice mix of men and women (a little more than half of the crowd was male) did their homework, knew their stuff and supported a band that, despite their lack of true mainstream success, have carved a meaningful niche
in the Americana music world, and put it into the spotlight Saturday night.