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To be honest, I was a bit passive about going to this show. Even though I have both
Sheryl Crow CDs, Tuesday Night Music Club and her newest self-titled, I never
really considered myself a big fan. Had it not been for The Wallflowers opening, I
probably wouldn't have even considered the show, but how glad I am that I did.
The Wallflowers are one of my favorite new bands. From the first time I heard "6th
Avenue Heartache" on the radio, without even knowing who it was, I knew I was going
to like them. Then I find that the lead singer is one Jakob Dylan, son of Bob, and that
Adam Duritz of Counting Crows is backing them up. No wonder why I was drawn to their
sound. Anyway, the show was very tight. Jakob, although favoring his father, with a
distinctive profile and gravel quality to his voice, has certainly developed his own style
and along with the other musicians in the band, has put together a talented ensemble. With
two Grammy nominations, we're sure to be seeing The Wallflowers headlining their own tours
in the near future.
In a word, Sheryl Crow's performance was "outstanding". I was very impressed
by her musicianship and versatility. She played both acoustic and electric guitars with
authority as well as easily transitioned to the piano and organ at the top of the stage.
Her voice was clear, at times sweet and others raspy. Her between-song banter was a little
bit of a strain, but at least she made the effort. Sheryl has lots of good songs, all
written in whole or in part by her. Her catchy melodies sometimes distract radio listeners
from the sensitivity of her lyrics, but in the live show, her true feelings were displayed
in "Leaving Las Vegas" "Run, Baby, Run", and "Maybe Angels".
Even though she must be sick of "All I Wanna Do", she played it with a
confidence that said "I know this is how I got noticed, but I can do so much
more", and she did. For an encore, she even treated the audience to her accordion
(jewel-studded, I might add) stylings with a rousing version of "Strong Enough".
The Music Hall crowd was a little more sedate than I like to see at a concert, but they
did manage to get to their feet for some of the more popular numbers. After all, it was a
Sunday night, and most of the audience had school the next day. Actually, there was a
pretty good mix for a pop show, showing that Sheryl can draw from a variety of age groups.
Sheryl had an easy stage presence that made it look like she was having a great time up
there. Who wouldn't, doing what you love, making big bucks, touring the US with an
entourage of gorgeous men. Where can I sign up?
On That Note, I'm outta here......
C
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