NYC City Winery 3.16.16 (Night Three)

Another fantabulous Lucinda show for night #3 at City Winery NYC! She was kickin’ in knee-high black boots that I coveted. Lu played many songs that are darkly emotional for me, but that are somehow liberating, even celebratory, when she sings them. Lu was in a fantastic mood – big smiles throughout the set.

– Are You Alright (!!!!) (The show starts with this emotional punch to the gut)
– Protection (Lu has her political moments on other songs, but, to me, these lyrics are relevant to much of what’s going on in the primaries. The Trump Soho hotel is less than a block away from the venue.)
– Metal Firecracker (She calls out a former bass player who said they had to “wait” until they got off of the ‘metal firecracker’ tour bus, but “when we got off of the metal firecracker, it just fizzled away.” I hear you, sister. We have all been there with illusory relationships.)
– Burning Bridges (She notes this is about a former band member who was upset when she invited Steve Earle to play and who has since broken all ties with her, except that “if you go on his website, I’m everywhere, so whatever.” Always edifying to get the backstory to the songs.)
– Cold Day in Hell (She does not say who this is about…)
– Jackson (David breaks out the upright bass to brilliant effect, and Stuart was a total boss on this solo.)
– Ghosts of Highway 20 (“Car Wheels Part 2”)(She notes how she used to run around chasing Flannery O’Connor’s peacocks when she was five, and how so many of her songs are influenced by Flannery O’Connor and Eudora Welty.)
– Lake Charles (“This song and Drunken Angel seem to resonate with people in a special way.”)
– BITTER MEMORY!!!! (She notes that this was recorded for the show ‘Nashville’ and Dan Auerbach produced it. From Lu’s comments, it sounds like Hayden Panettiere sang the song on the show and “you wouldn’t be able to tell it was the same song.”. After finishing the song, she second guesses herself and says it was “too fast,” but notes that the song is like a “runaway train.” No, sweetie, it was perfection.)
– Sweet Old World. (Afterwards she notes that “I’m still thinking of Bitter Memory.” Again with David and the upright bass! Love it! She says that she’s having a good time and likes the residencies because each night is different, “as it should be.”)
– Fruits of My Labor (Gorgeous. Someone on the Forum once commented on Lu’s perfect rendering of the word “baby” in this song, and he is so right.)
– Doors of Heaven (!!!!) I love this church stomper.
– Are You Down (Lu’s voice is so clear, so strong and so beautiful. I can’t believe that Butch’s glass rain-making instrument isn’t broken; that thing would have shattered into about a billion pieces in my custody. David really struts his badass stuff here.)
– Dust
– Seeing Black (!!!!) Stuart absolutely shredded. I thought of you, stoger…
– Changed the Locks
– Joy (it remains as fresh as the first time I heard it live, 15 years or so ago now!!)
– Honey Bee (just an overdue shout out about how cool it is that Stuart can make his guitar sound like a bumble bee flying around)
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– I Ain’t Got No Home (Woodie Guthrie story and political interlude — his landlord in the 40’s was Old Man Trump! Lu puts her Bernie pin on.)
– A Change is Gonna Come (“Thank you for letting me testify.” Represent, Lu!)
– Rockin in the Free World.

My vision is really going because at first I thought that Lu’s sparkly guitar strap has roses on it, but after I put on my glasses I saw that it actually has skulls on it. Close! I think Butch has a new drum kit… it seems smaller. I know this is probably a longer report than anyone wants or needs, but I’m too lazy to edit properly. Final comment: I don’t know why people spend so much time during the show recording stuff on their phones instead of experiencing the song itself. Now get off of my lawn.