Marcia Ball / March 14th, 2008 / The Triple Door / Seattle, Washington
Prior
to the March 14th Marcia Ball concert at The Triple Door in
Seattle, Washington, the last time I had been in attendance at one of the
blues artist’s gigs was in March of 2006, when she performed in her hometown
of Austin Texas. As we got closer to the set time, I wondered whether or not
Ball would still exude the same kind of energy that had led people to dance in
the park, on that evening two years previous. It didn’t take long to answer
that question, as Ball opened her set with the lively Albert King song, “Life
Is A Natural Ball,” a high-octane
tune that began with her standing, and finished with her at the electric keyboard.
The evening was filled with plenty of quick tempo keyboard ballads, fabulous saxophone grooves, and spectacular electric guitar licks from the fingers of Austin Texas native Andrew Nafziger. The audience really got into the gig when Ball played the fan favorite “Red Beans,” a song which possesses a lively boogie woogie rhythm. As she sat at the keys, with her right leg crossed over her left knee, her right foot continually swung back and forth like a pendulum, while her left foot tapped out the beat. During her high-energy performances, Ball’s feet never stop, and the smile never leaves her face. She endears herself to her audience, with sincerity, southern charm and passion infused music.
One wonders where she gets the energy, as she had performed at SXSW in Austin on the 13th, and was leaving Seattle for a three night engagement in Portland, Oregon, beginning the following night. Ball is in the midst of an aggressive tour schedule supporting her April 8th release of Peace, Love & BBQ, During The Triple Door concert she played no less than eight of the tracks that appear on her new album, including her encore, “Ride It Out,” which injects a little bit of levity into the very real threat of hurricanes and tornadoes that continually pose a challenge for those living in the southern states.
Ball’s vocals were emotive and powerful as she sang the blues rock tune, “Heart And Soul,” also from Peace, Love & BBQ, and she sent chills through the audience with her stirring original song, “Miracle In Knoxville,” which reminds one of a mid tempo “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” (Charlie Daniels), only without the fiddle. The most moving song from Peace, Love & BBQ was the tune, “Where Do You Go,” which she recorded as a duet with the song’s author Tracy Nelson. On this evening, bass guitarist, Don Bennett provided the additional vocals. The song laments the conditions that America’s impoverished and homeless people are forced to live in. (Are you paying attention George Bush?)
“Just when you think the party’s over, another one’s just begun,” is a line from the zydeco influenced, Bobby Charles song, “Party Town,” which Ball recorded as the first track for the new CD, and performed for the Triple Door crowd. Charles who also penned the tunes, “See You Later Alligator,” and “Walking To New Orleans,” wrote this song as a testament to the spirit and will of New Orleans’ people.
Throughout the evening, there were numerous opportunities for Balls’ band to take their turns soloing, and one of the beneficiaries was guitarist Andrew Nafziger who continually bent and extended notes, while working his way through compelling chord changes. However as great as Ball’s band is, there is no doubt who stokes this fire, for the singer/songwriter, pianist was still energetic and passionate when her ninety minute set was winding down as she was when it had begun. She performed the scintillating “Hot Tamale Baby,” and the last of her two encore songs, the classic “Sea Cruise.”
Attending a Marcia Ball concert is not only memorable, but life changing, because it forces you to raise the bar, in terms of what you expect from the music and performance of other artists. I only hope that I do not have to wait another two years until I attend another one of her gigs.
Reviewed by Joe Montague
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Reviewed March 14th, 2008
