Sara Petite

What a fine doubleheader in the environs of San Diego last night: Sara Petite free and outdoors in the district (suburb? incorporated town?) of El Cajon, followed by Sara Petite free and indoors at the Irish Bar Auld Sod, in Normal Heights. Perhaps the adjective is ironic, as this was one of the funkiest neighborhoods I tripped, along with Kensington and Hillcrest. A day or two of the downtown-military ambience (I feel our moderator cringing just now), and i was ready for hipper climes, an alternative to “normalcy.”

I’ve weathered many a setbreak through the years, but never until last night any which featured beauty pageant queens conducting raffles. Actual sashes were worn, bona fide numerical printed tickets in evidence. A bit of a distraction really, as I tried to talk to the band off to the side while these sirens plied their good will stage center. The folks behind El Cajon’s “on the Green” series sure know how to do it up right.

This should have been first: we got two Lucinda covers at Auld Sod, “Steal Your Love” and “Can’t Let Go” (the latter is technically not a cover, but OK). A request was heard (not by me, curiously) for a third, “Car Wheels”–which I know for a fact to be in Sara’s repertoire yet have never heard her perform it. New drummer Dave Wilkie hadn’t worked it up, so maybe next time. And kudos to him, first time with Sara and the Sugar Daddies live, “filling big shoes tonight” as Sara said, those of her late drummer Johnny Kuelken.

As many times as I’ve heard Lu do “Steal Your Love” live, I’ve never witnessed her receive a kiss from a fan during it. This happened to Sara in the tiny Irish bar–again, for the record, not me!

The Sugar Daddies were a fivesome in El Cajon but lost a fiddler going crosstown–the stage was so miniscule this might have been for the best. Bass player Wade poked a few folks as it was. And kudos too to Nashville based-guitarist and mandolinist Steve Peavey.

Sara’s new song “Scarlet Letter” manages to not only allude deftly to Hawthorne, but incorporate my favorite lyrics from “People Talkin” (sung out gloriously by Doug in the day, well by DAvid now), “wagging tongues.”

“Fade Away” was great last night, but check out former Lu sideman Kenny Vaughn’s work on it on the studio version, off of Sara’s CD Doghouse Roses.

Some idiot marred El Cajon a bit by shouting out the name Toby Keith, who was apparently playing SD last night. Why the hell he wasn’t already at the Coliseum instead of at Sara’s I’m not sure.

A few great covers too: Otis Redding, Dylan, Boss’ “I’m On Fire,” Neil’s “Harvest.” But to prove she was no one hit wonder, how about “Sweet Peony” ? Bobbie Gentry was well represented, well served.

Not sure if there’s an opener for Lu tonight, but I feel like I already got it. And now, Tony, to find the I-5. . .