Wellington newspaper review

Thought I would share the review from Wellington and the nice email I got from Simon, who wrote it.
It was a great show and Lucinda is really enjoying NZ.

Hi Tom,
thought you might want to see the review for the show from Wellington, this is for the city’s Dominion Post newspaper.
Loved the show – and the band Buick 6 were tops.

I interviewed Lucinda earlier in the year for my blog, at www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/blogonthetracks.

Cheers
Simon

Lucinda Williams
@ The Town Hall
Wednesday, April 15

Reviewed by Simon Sweetman

Lucinda Williams has a strong reputation as a songwriter, but she gained it from honing the material in live performances. Her first album, entirely covers of other writers, was released over 30 years ago and after 1980’s Happy Woman Blues she took an eight year break before bouncing back to the studio for a second shot.
It’s been a long time since Williams visited New Zealand, 2004 shows were advertised but eventually cancelled due to the death of her mother, and it is easy to see, immediately, why Williams remains a live favourite, cherry-picking from her eight studio records of original tunes, beginning with Happy Woman Blues. From there tracks off last year’s Little Honey mingled with material from 1988’s Lucinda Williams, 1998’s Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, 2001’s Essence, 2003’s World Without Tears and 2007’s West.
Buick 6, Williams’ backing band, provided the stomp of rock’n’roll and the nuance of country for Lucinda’s lyrics of heartbreak and, as she said herself “beautiful losers”. Drunken Angel (from Car Wheels) was the first major highlight of a set jam-packed with greatest hits. The two guitarists kept the songs interesting, swapping solos, lending licks to one another to create harmony leads and blending slide, steel, mandolin and acoustic textures in with neck-strangling country and foot-stomping rock guitar.
Huge, driving drums and solid, probing bass played support roles but it was always Lucinda Williams’ show, baring her soul across Tears Of Joy and the 2.00am empty-hall slow dance of Overtime.
When Williams switched her acoustic for an electric guitar she made the announcement that the band would “attempt to rock your world” and it felt like she was leading Crazy Horse through Changed The Locks and Come On. The rock continued with Real Live Bleeding Fingers And Broken Guitar Strings, Essence, Joy and Honey Bee. It was a classic set from a legend of Americana songwriting, beautifully controlled as it built up from softer folk and country to bar-room rock.
Buick 6 played an opening set of instrumental jams, referencing Black Sabbath’s War Pigs, Television’s Marquee Moon and a ton of Led Zeppelin and New Zealand duo, The Bads, offered sweet country-pop to start.