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This was one of the best, maybe the best show I’ve seen. First of all, it was flawless. No false starts, no confusion, no lyric questions, lucinda barely even looked at “the book.” Not that that matters! But, just to set the tone, start to finish, it was perfection. The band was in top form. The acoustics were incredible, the audience was in rapture. Lucinda seemed to immediately like the “intimate” venue, and seemed at home on a college campus (mentioning her father, and growing up around college settings). Here’s the set list:
Rescue
Fruits of my labor
are you allright (mentioned imus, and viet vet again)
Fancy Funeral ( long, lucid explanation of her mothers funeral — she said she probably could get a few more songs –and some short stories — out of the experience)
People Talkin
Are you downthen she changed the tone, made a (self-effacing) joke about the folk song shit, and said, “fuck art, lets dance!”
Rightously
Come On
Honey Bee
Joy (with Riders)
I live My Life (fats)
Disgusted (tribute to delta blues)
Unsuffer mea powerful, moving encore:
Marching the hate machines
and a crosby, stills, nash? or buffalo springfied? song (I’m embarrassed, I can’t think of the title now, we all know it…help!)Every song was great, she was at her best, the audience was leaning forward in their seats most of the night. Several standing ovations during the show.
What a way to go into new york…. 8)
Charlie was wonderful again too. No Lu/Charlie duet, though.
Lucinda Williams, Wayne NJ September 27
Shea Center, William Paterson CollegeGreat, tiny venue. About 900 seats, arranged in a tight cluster (no center aisle, so the rows are 20+ seats across), and with nice steep theater seating. When I ordered my ticket they told me they couldn’t get me Row A, but she said she could get me center Row B. Fine. Nice surprise when I found out they don’t use Row A, since basically you can’t fold the seats down without hitting the stage. So I ended up first row, and with the steep racking essentially you are sitting at about barstool height, on the very front of the stage, maybe 3 yards from Lu. Amazing to be so high up that close to the stage. It’s astonishing that Lucinda ended up playing such a small, and as she called it, intimate venue.
I’ve been to hundreds of concerts, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard sound that good. Crystal clear, nice stereo separation between instruments and LOUD. When you can feel the thump from the strings on electric guitar solos you know you are cooking with gas. Between songs the crowd was so quiet you could hear the fans on stage.
Charlie Louvin and his band opened. Old guy with a young tight band. Seems like a nice guy, but overall a bit too country for me. I lasted most of the way through his set, then went to the lobby where I picked up the CDs of all of Lu’s El Rey shows.
Chet played second lead guitar, and took a number of the leads. Butch Norton really pounds the drums, I think the only person I ever heard who hits the drums harder may be Winston Watson (from Dylan’s early to mid 90’s band).
Ray’s got the setlist…the Buffalo Springfield song is “For What Its Worth”
After the show a woman jumped over the Row A seats and grabbed a setlist, earning some mild bashing from Flappy. I called to Flappy and asked him nicely if I could get a setlist, which he gave to me along with a signed drumskin from Butch which I hadn’t asked for, or even seen. Class act. The only changes I noticed vs the setlist was Come On and Bleeding Fingers were listed as alternates, as was Disgusted and Hard Time. Words and West were listed as alternate end songs, but neither was played. Not sure if Live My Life was on the list (setlist is sitting down in the car still, I’ll check later). Lu was on somewhere around 9:25 and off around 11:05.
On to NYC Saturday.
Wow what a great show. The sound system was superb. I was in the center of the 11th (last) row of the orchestra and it was like I had headphones on, but better. Every instrument was clear as a bell.
Great venue, as noted by previous posters, except for the parking…
On my way out I told the sound guy that it was the best sound I had ever heard at a show. He seemed startled, I don’t think anyone had ever told him that before! So he gave me the setlist and that’s when I discovered that Come On was supposed to lead into Bleeding Fingers. But it hadn’t! Hey what happened, that’s my favorite song!
Lucinda and the band gave their all, and her performance was excellent. Doug Pettibone was inspirational in his sound pallete. It seemed to me she was a little taken aback by the attentiveness of the audience at first. This is not the first time I’ve seen that artist reaction to a Jersey Crowd. Sometimes it’s taken for indifference, but I think Lucinda could tell the difference.
Met a guy who came down from Syracuse for the show. It was worth it.
Rock On!
i think lu and the band are so primed for nyc…. She needn’t worry. I just wish i could get to more than one of the shows.
thanks, visions, for that title. 🙂
the quality of the sound in that space was just breathtaking….
@Ray wrote:
This was one of the best, maybe the best show I’ve seen. First of all, it was flawless. No false starts, no confusion, no lyric questions, lucinda barely even looked at “the book.” Not that that matters! But, just to set the tone, start to finish, it was perfection. The band was in top form. The acoustics were incredible, the audience was in rapture. Lucinda seemed to immediately like the “intimate” venue, and seemed at home on a college campus (mentioning her father, and growing up around college settings). Here’s the set list:
Rescue
Fruits of my labor
are you allright (mentioned imus, and viet vet again)
Fancy Funeral ( long, lucid explanation of her mothers funeral — she said she probably could get a few more songs –and some short stories — out of the experience)
People Talkin
Are you downthen she changed the tone, made a (self-effacing) joke about the folk song shit, and said, “fuck art, lets dance!”
Rightously
Come On
Honey Bee
Joy (with Riders)
I live My Life (fats)
Disgusted (tribute to delta blues)
Unsuffer mea powerful, moving encore:
Marching the hate machines
and a crosby, stills, nash? or buffalo springfied? song (I’m embarrassed, I can’t think of the title now, we all know it…help!)Every song was great, she was at her best, the audience was leaning forward in their seats most of the night. Several standing ovations during the show.
What a way to go into new york…. 8)
Charlie was wonderful again too. No Lu/Charlie duet, though.
It’s a Buffalo Springfield song. “For what it’s worth’ I was there last night too. It’s only my 5th or 6th show but it’s the first time I ever saw her rock hard! She’s never the same, I’ll give her that.
Never even heard any of her albums before, but paid $60 for a front-row seat after hearing how much everyone likes her.
What the heck happened last night???
The show opened with Mr. Louvin’s great performance. He comes across as a true country gentleman, and his band was perfect. Each one working to create the whole, not to trying to impress us with how many effects pedals can fit on one board. A real treat, I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to see him and his guys. Especially infectious was their drummer, who showed true joy at being there. He was singing along and dancing the beat.
Now we get to Lucinda. What happened to her? Does she not own a hairbrush? It shows a complete lack or respect for the audience when a performer can’t be bothered with a change of clean clothes and a quick brush-up in front of the mirror. If she had been toasted or drunk, at least she would have had an excuse.
‘visions’, I was sitting at your right hand. You’re handle is appropriate, your description above is certainly of one of these visions, as it bears no resemblance to the show I experienced last night.
Ray, where were you looking? If you were looking at the stage you would have seen ‘the book’. Unbelieveable. I have never seen anything like that. If you’re a song writer, your songs are like your children. Do you not know the color of your childern’s eyes? I’m the same age as Lucinda, and I can’t imagine how anyone my age could grow up in the good old USA and not know the words to “Riders on the Storm”. Lucinda spoke about having performed the song with Robbie Krieger in LA. She could have used that cross-continent bus ride to learn the damned words or done us all a favor and forgotten about the song entirely. Pathetic.
The most mediocre bar bands in my neck of the woods can manage the words to most of the Door’s hits, this one included.dsiebenh, the reason the sound guy was startled is that when a show sucks that bad, even the best sound guy can’t help it any. He knew how bad this show was, and he certainly wasn’t expecting any positive comments. He was looking for your lobotomy scars. Being the poor sound man at a a bad show is like looking at garbage through a magnifying glass!
MACCA, I hope you’re right about her never being the same twice. I hope to God that this particular one was unique.
And the band…is her management trying to play some dirty trick on her?
She had one of the ‘california roll’ guitar types, with a pedal board taller than himself, and an ego even bigger. He spent every song waiting for a chance to solo and inflict yet another crappy effects pedal on the audience. He brought 8 guitars onto the stage. That’s the number eight, folks. The best guitar players on the face of the earth rarely need more than two, but then again, this guy bore no resembence to the best of anything.The kindest thing I can say abut the bassist is nothing.
The real tragedy was her great drummer. He had style and presence, and class too. This guy put on a great show, despite the fact that he had absolutely nothing to work with. I was standing right next to our drooling friend ‘visions’ here when he received the precious drum head. That’s a great souvenir, as the drummer was the only competent member of her band. Actually that isn’t completely true.
Lucinda has a great voice, and her rhythm playing was really good.
I’m a fan of the Gibson Southern Jumbo, and she really made it sound great. It was just so hard to enjoy it when the guitar player kept trying to attract attention to himself.How sad. I came into the show excited, with an open mind hoping to see what everyone has been talking about. If this is the state of popular music today, count me out.
Gil Cruz – I speak the truth.
Modulus, it must have been shocking to you to see a band with people who’s hair isn’t coiffered impeccably. A guitar player who brings 8 guitars on the stage! Wow, none of the good guitarists do that. The singer sometimes consults the words…those excellent bands who play the same setlist night after night never need to do this…some have even evolved to the point that they don’t even need to sing live…the advanced technology does it for them! Doesn’t that sound like fun, Modulus? You must go to a lot of concerts!
At least you mostly kept your opinion to yourself during the show, which I do appreciate, seriously.
But, Modulus, in the words of Bob Dylan (another artist by the way that does all the things you critique Lu for) “I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes…”Here’s a solid review of the show from today’s Star Ledger by someone who’s seen one of two shows before.
Changing her tune
Running the emotional gamut, Lucinda shows more range
Saturday, September 29, 2007
BY JAY LUSTIG
Star-Ledger Staff
ROCK“See, I’m full of all kinds of surprises,” Lucinda Williams said Thursday night after singing “Honey Bee.” This new, not-yet-recorded number was a gritty blues, with sexually suggestive lyrics delivered in a tough but flirtatious way. Imagine Chrissie Hynde gone roots rock.
The show, which took place at the Shea Center for the Performing Arts at William Paterson University in Wayne, had plenty of other moments where Williams could have used the full-of-surprises line, as well.
She covered “Riders on the Storm” by the Doors — not exactly a band you’d think a blues- and folk-rooted artist like her would have much interest in. In a long, rambling introduction to her song, “Fancy Funeral,” she railed against the funeral-home industry. “Are You Down?” — which, as she explained, was inspired by Brazilian music — was as laid-back as the rest of the show was intense.
Williams, who was backed by a casually masterful four-piece band, is a veteran singer-songwriter who has been releasing albums since 1979, but hit her stride in the late ’80s and hasn’t let up since.
She played one of her five best albums, in its entirety, during the first set of each of her five recent Los Angeles shows, with other material in the second half. She will do the same at each of her five upcoming New York performances. (The Doors’ Robby Krieger actually guested at one of the L.A. shows, and Williams says she has been performing “Riders on the Storm” since then.)
Thursday’s concert did not have a full-album theme, though there was still a sharp division between the first and second halves. There was a quiet and meditative (but still deeply emotional) feel to many of the early songs, like “Rescue,” “Fruits of My Labor” and “Are You Alright?” Then she announced, “Enough of this serious folkie s—. F— art, let’s dance.” And it was pretty much all loud and explosive from then on, whether Williams was chastising an ex-lover (in “Come On”) or expressing a desire for spiritual growth (in “Unsuffer Me,” where drummer Butch Norton’s restless playing echoed Williams’ words perfectly).
Listening to her can feel like eavesdropping on a psychotherapy session, with the patient delving deeper and deeper, until a moment of catharsis is reached. “If I didn’t have this” — meaning the opportunity to write songs, and perform them — “I’d probably be in a mental institution,” she said at one point during the show.
The end of the evening was heavy on covers, with a delta-blues excursion (Lil’ Son Jackson’s “Disgusted”) and a romp through Fats Domino’s “I Lived My Life,” in addition to “Riders on the Storm.” The encore featured two more covers, both protest songs — one old (Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth”) and one relatively new (Thievery Corporation’s “Marching the Hate Machines into the Sun”).
“Peace, love, revolution,” Williams said, as she left the stage.
Veteran country singer Charlie Louvin opened the show. He initially achieved fame as half of the Louvin Brothers, a singing and songwriting team that also featured Ira Louvin, who died in 1965. Now 80, he released a self-titled album this year that included collaborations with artists like George Jones, Elvis Costello and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.
Frail of voice but strong of spirit, he presented a fine, old-time country set, harmonizing sweetly with bassist Brent Wilson and telling corny jokes between songs. It was a rare opportunity to hear classics like “The Christian Life” and “Cash on the Barrelhead” sung by the one of the men who co-wrote them, and to hear him celebrate his old partner.
“Your voice is strong even though you’re gone … I still hear your part,” he sang in “Ira.”
I was also at the concert at Williams Patterson on Thursday night. I was in the second row, right behind the previous poster. I’ve never posted on this fan site before, but his (I’m fairly sure I’ve got the gender right) comment got my goat.
I’ve seen Lucinda probably 20 times in my life, starting in 1988 in Washington D.C. at the 9:30 Club. I am not an uncritical fan, and have also shaken my head at her reliance on the lyric book. As a teacher, I know how much of a crutch one’s notes can be. But I also know that the best connection to an audience happens without the notes. Having said that, she didn’t seem to be overly reliant on it on Thursday, but, yes, it can be distracting, and I wish she would be able to let it go.
On her “appearance”: I loved it, and resent the previous poster’s comments. As a woman, having grown older with Lucinda myself (she’s got ten years on me), I appreciate her ability to just be who she is. Men have always felt free to display their bodies, no matter what shape they are in, and male musicians have always dressed how they please. Rarely do “fans” or critics comment on their appearance. Power to Lucinda for carrying on this blues musician genre of focusing on the music and not on appearance. Yes, live music is also a visual art, but upon listening to her perform, her appearance took on so much more than what she was wearing, and what her hair looked like. I felt priviledged to be there, and so close to the unelevated stage; it was like we were seeing her in her own living room. I kept thinking: some day I will be able to tell people (my son was next to me, so I don’t need to tell him) that I saw one of the great songerwriters of my time perform so close up I could almost touch her.
I know her music longer than I’ve know my own children, and it’s such a part of my, and now my children’s lives, that it often feels hard to listen to it with a fresh ear. For some reason, I was able to do that on Thursday night. For me, her voice may have been better a few years ago and, in my view, the sound in the theater was not great. Nonetheless, her performance was magnificent. It reminded me of why I’ve stayed a fan through all these years: The musical range, the lyrical content, and the ability to perform it with a different emphasis each time are unparalleled. And I’m comparing her, yes, with the great male singer-songwriters who are so revered: Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Townes van Zandt, Richard Thompson.
I enjoy reading all these posts. And since we’re among friends (with some exceptions) I wish Lucinda would say “Peace, Love and Justice” at the end of the shows, as “Peace, Love, and Revolution” are contradictory. I’m all for revolution when it’s necessary, but it certainly ain’t peaceful!
It would appear we have ANOTHER know nothing critic in Modolus. Its one thing to dislike a performer, song, show, etc. It another thing to attack someone’s personal appearance or how many guitars they choose to use. Songs are not like children they are only songs. Some peoples memories are imperfect so some singers use lyric books, teleprompters or notes taped to the floor to help remember. Gil Cruz does not speak the truth. He speaks uninformed, know it all verbal toiletries.
Visions – thanx for posting that starledger review. it pretty much undermines Modulus’ comments. People either “get” lucinda right away, and love her… or they don’t. If they don’t, well, they are the ones who miss a lot of what’s beautiful in this world.
I’ve learned not to argue or try to persuade anymore; it’s a waste of time.
Amy, your comments are so moving. I, too, feel privileged every time I see and hear Lu perform. We are fortunate, in that moment, to witness an artist create something beautiful out of thin air.
Maybe i was in the sweet spot in that theatre (8th row, center, right), but I thought the sound was great. (I was closer at the Pennsylvania show the night before, and had been told the acoustics were great there too, but i found the sound much better at the Shea.)
I’d only disagree about two other things: I think lu’s voice has gotten better — i love her younger voice, but this gravelly, full, more mature voice kills me. 8)
And I think this nation could use a peaceful revolution about now. (Maybe a peaceful, loving revolution.)
Amy, your comments are awesome. Thank you for posting your thoughts.
As for the negative comments from others (in general) – I have never understood the motivation of people who go out of their way to post negative comments on a fan site. Why are they even here? This is obviously a site for fans of Lucinda’s music. Why personal need does someone fulfill in posting here if they so obviously do not like her or her music?
Tom
i don’t know that you can undermine someone’s opinion, guy didn’t like it, how do you tell him he’s wrong for not liking what he heard? now, the motivation for coming to a site such as this and putting up such post is a whole ‘nother story. and the comment about her appearence, as stated
earlier, is just silly.point taken, jackstraw — opinions are opinions. But if the show “sucks that bad” as modulus said, then a major newspaper review, written by an experienced reviewer outside of this forum, might just hint at that. It did not. I should’ve carefully said the review didn’t reinforce his opinion! 😉 Anyway, the show really was great, IMHO. 😀
I was blown away by Lucinda. She was all I expected and more. The first time I heard her was driving from Austin to San Antonio with my kid and I said “what’s that country western?” and she wrinkled up her nose a little like her dad was daft.
Clearly he was. Now I can’t get enough of her. Her songs are so poignant, clever, open, and warm. It’s as if I’m listening to a friend speak, but this friend is a woman who’s got my number pegged. And I mean pegged right down to the floor. In her voice I hear every woman who didn’t buy my excuses, stories, bull pucky, or lies. LOL!
Favorite song of the evening: “Unsuffer Me” That was more than a song, it was a performance, a prayer, an invocation, and an attempt to reach the great beyond and it did. So did I. Wow, Lucinda.
What first turned me on to Lucinda? I heard Emmy Lou Harris sing one of Lucinda’s songs. I don’t remember which one at this time, but her comment was “The Gospel According to Lucinda”. I can appreciate a high compliment and felt I could gain by finding out what this Gospel was all about.
All comments on the venue were accurate: terrific sound and terrific acoustics.
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