Live Review: Shelby Lynne & Findlay Brown at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, 5/15/10
The Variety Playhouse in Atlanta was home to a bluesy evening of entertainment. Shelby Lynne, on tour promoting her new release, Tears, Lies, and Alibis (Everso Records). She emoted her twang-laden song creations to a very supportive crowd. Decked out in a black t-shirt, black leather pants, and black cowboy boots, Lynne appears to be a punk/country hybrid. Even her new punked-out haircut was rebelling against The Man.
The Man, in this case, is the recording industry. After years of being “fed up” with record companies, Lynne has started her own Everso Records. Listening to her vent, one cannot help but also hear that big sigh of relief.
Lynne kicked off her first set with “Rains Came,” from Alibis. Most of the evening was dominated by new stuff off this excellent album. Other standout tracks included “Why Didn’t You Call Me?” “Like A Fool,” and “Alibi.” Often compared to such legends as Patty Loveless, Tanya Tucker, and Dusty Springfield, Lynne recorded an entire album of Dusty Springfield songs in 2008 entitled, Just A Little Lovin’ to critical acclaim.
On “Something To Be Said,” Lynne has penned a tribute to Airstream trailers. “I have a crush on Airstream trailers,” she said, before performing the song. “Thinking about how I love my country. We can get in a Cadillac with bologna sandwiches and go wherever the hell we want, with whoever the hell we want, and stay as long as we want” (“There’s something to be said about Airstreams / A rolling home made out of silver / There’s something to be said about Airstreams / Aww who’da thought art was a trailer”).
Lynne’s voice was bold and beautiful on this night, and the four-piece backing her up hit a bull’s eye with each song. She reminisced about her many performances in Atlanta and said that every time she plays here, she is torn. Then, dramatically switching gears, Lynne informed the audience, “Here’s a song I wrote about a whore.” After the laughter died down, she went on. “I like songs about whores. God knows we got enough of ‘em in this world. I don't mind good honest whores, just as long as the stay away from my shit” (from “Buttons And Beaus”).
The bluesiest of the blues came out loudly during Willie Nelson’s “Night Life.” Lynne connects will with old school country, while simultaneously identifying with the next generation. She also is infamous for speaking her mind, as when she told the crowd, “I live in California. When I bring the south out there, they get confused. I live in California so I can smoke weed when I want to. I can grow it too,” she confessed.
Shelby Lynne is tasting success that she has been working hard on for many years. It seems well deserved.
Opening the show was British singer/songwriter Findlay Brown. His affable personality and wonderful acoustic set surely gained new fans. Soon into his set, he told everyone, “I hope you like love songs. That’s about all I’ve got. You didn’t bring your dancing shoes, did you?” If you squint your eyes just right, Brown could be mistaken for a younger (and better looking) Ricky Gervais. After performing the title track to his latest release Love Will Find You (Verve), he begged, “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” He went on to say, “I’m shy. I am. That’s why we do this, us performers.”
Brown has been compared, rightly, to Roy Orbison, with his jet black, slicked back hair, his, fancy cowboy jacket, and especially his smooth and expressive voice. He articulated his love of America, telling the crowd that this is the land of all his musical heroes. He mentioned, among others, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard. He also spoke of his home of Yorkshire, England. “Do you know Yorkshire? On the moors? Do you remember that movie, An American Werewolf in London? And that pub in the movie called The Slaughtered Lamb? I grew up about an hour from there. Middle of nowhere.”
Among the songs performed, were “Don’t You Know I Love You,” “If I Could Do It Again (I’d Do It With You),” “Everybody Needs Love,” and “Come Home.” Brown uses his self-deprecating humor to his advantage, pulling listeners ever closer to his performance. “Must be kind of boring, one guy standing up here with a guitar.” To this, the audience yelled, “No!”
Findlay Brown has all the tools to become this generation’s crooner. People just need to hear him.
No comments:
Post a Comment