take it or leave it sez Lucinda
Oh we’ll take it, thanks.
It was Car Wheels on a Gravel Road last night at Town Hall with Lucinda Williams playing that entire album in sequence. Go take take a look at that tracklist. Simply amazing. I can’t recall another example of an artist revisiting their work in live performance like this. It’s very cool. Especially if you love the album. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is surely one of those BIG albums-- you remember the first time you heard it, the time you bawled your eyes to it, all the sing a long road trips with it and the hundreds of listens. I know every word (yes, i’m still in 7th grade and pride myself on that special talent). Last night, Lucinda was very open and funny introducing songs with some back story or personal recollections. Like, she wrote “I Lost It” on a hungover New Years Day. Or “Still I Long for Your Kiss” is a true story (ouch!). And then the story of the title track---when Lucinda dad’s apologized as he recognized that Lu is the kid in the back seat.
After an amazing version of Jackson, the album’s closer, there was a nice long intermission. Since I’m a lobby chick, i enjoyed the time to hang at the FUV table, talk to peoples, meet friends, and let the music seep in.
The second half was even cooler. Lucinda clearly loving performing her more recent material. Her voice, and body rhythm laying right in the pocket of tunes like “Fruits of My Labor”, “Words” and the prayer-like “Unsuffer Me.” She got all garage on us with a new one called “Honeybee” joined by Steve Shelley on drums. There were some troubles tho as Lucinda stopped a song in the middle unsatisfied with the mix. Of course, it sounded fine to most of us in the audience but moves like this by an artist always make troubles for the critics and fans too. I did hear griping from people around us and even some emails today from listeners at FUV. I have no beef with it. We all have jobs and sometimes need to take a minute and do it over.
Overall, the show was cool in that Lucinda brought out Fionn Regan, Steve Earle and Jesse Malin as guests during the show. Much cooler than an opening act and it was clear Lucinda is into young Irish dude Fionn Regan. Me too! And at the end of the night we were able to buy the recording of that show for $20. Lucinda was also selling a 5 CD set of the LA shows so i bought that too for $80. And i have really cool video of Lu but I probably shouldn’t post it here. Just ask.
