Shelby Lynne / April 26th, 2008 / Richards On Richards / Vancouver, Canada
With
all due respect to the many outstanding performances from so many talented
artists, that this magazine has had the opportunity to review, none of them
can compare with the tender, heartfelt, warmth that emanated from Shelby Lynne
as she performed at Richards On Richards in Vancouver, Canada on Saturday
April 26, 2008. If ever an artist gave a love letter to her fans, then Shelby
Lynne did just that, through her songs, her genuine expressions of gratitude
for her audience's applause, and through her simple words of affection.
She opened her eighteen-song set dressed in black tuxedo slacks, a waist length brown checked jacket, covering her black tee shirt, and wearing black three-inch heels. Holding her microphone close as though it were her lover, she cooed softly, “Just A Little Lovin’,” the first track from her new CD and vinyl record of the same name. From the onset of this concert, there was nothing contrived or showy about Lynne’s performance, but she was vulnerable, and each phrase was passionately sung.
Lynne demonstrated her versatility as an artist as she moved through her set effortlessly segueing between love ballads such as Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s, “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” and Tony Joe White’s soulful, dirt poor, “Willie And Laura Mae Jones.” Drawing upon her Alabama heritage, something she is obviously proud of, Lynne infused every line of White’s tune with a down-home earthiness. During “Willie And Laura Mae Jones,” performed as one of Lynne’s three encore songs, John Jackson laid aside his electric guitar and played an intoxicating slide guitar solo. This was just one of the many memorable moments the guitarist served up throughout the evening.
Lynne dipped into her Alabama heritage once again as she sang, “Breakfast In Bed,” an R&B tune penned by fellow Alabamians Donnie Fritts and Eddie Hinton. The song featured a blistering solo from Jackson. Shelby Lynne credits Dusty Springfield for inspiring her current album, and many of the songs that are now part of her repertoire, including, “Breakfast In Bed,” which Springfield covered on her 1969 record, Dusty In Memphis.
Lynne is at ease singing her countrified, “You’re The Man,” (Suit Yourself CD), which she introduced to her Vancouver fans as the only protest song she will ever write, and she is equally comfortable performing the hurting, “Your Lies.” Just as she does in the tenderest moments of her love ballads, Lynne’s greatest resource in singing, “Your Lies,” is her ability to be emotionally raw, which in turn evokes a strong response from the listener.
Midway through her set, Lynne took her music in yet another direction with the mid tempo pop song, “Gotta’ Get Back,” a tune which featured a sweet harmonica solo by John Jackson. Lynne has proved that she is a versatile artist, who is capable of embracing several different musical styles, and she pulls it off in fine fashion. The singer stays within her comfort zone, never prompting the question in the listener’s mind, “Why did you do that song?”
In addition to John Jackson who played both electric and slide guitars, Lynne alternated between her cream-colored electric guitar and her acoustic. She was backed by a cast of very strong musicians including drummer Bryan Owings, whose best performance was on “Black Light Blue,” a smoky lounge like number, Brian Harrison who established a solid bassline throughout the concert, and Vancouver’s own Randy Leago, who was outstanding on the keys.
It is perhaps fitting that in an evening that was emotionally charged and in which Shelby Lynne was embraced warmly by her adoring fans, that during her final song, “Ice Tea,” she had to stop three times, as tears trickled down her cheeks. From my vantage point at the foot of the stage, and only about eight feet from where Shelby Lynne was performing, it was obvious that there was nothing contrived or superficial about the emotions she displayed throughout her performance. I cannot recall another artist whose performance has moved me as much as that of Shelby Lynne. Do yourself a favor and visit her website or her myspace site so you can find out when she is performing in your area. In a day when so many performers rely on gimmicks, pyrotechnics and amazing light shows to prop up their efforts, you cannot afford to miss somebody as real as Shelby Lynne.
Reviewed by Joe Montague
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Reviewed April 26th, 2008
Riveting Riffs wishes to thank Live Nation for making it possible for us to review this Gig
