It was another great night of music at the Moore Theater. It started out with Judith Owen by herself on the big stage, sitting at her keyboard in a billowing pink overcoat that made her look a little like a frosted cupcake from afar. Owen, a Welsh singer-songwriter who has lived all over the US, has been influenced by all types of music—including New Orleans jazz—which can be heard in her scat-heavy song, “Nothing Lasts Forever.”
Her voice has a melancholy and beautiful, crystal clear quality to it that allowed me to actually understand all of her heartfelt lyrics. She is the first to admit that her set tends to be a downer since many of her songs are about loss and written during her bouts of depression. See, e.g., “I Wish You Were Still Here,” a song for her mother who never lived long enough to see her perform in front of large audiences. However, she made up for it with her conversation with the crowd between songs. Animatedly talking about the oddities of LA’s plastic surgery craze (the women look like “Bambi in a wind tunnel being kicked in the face by Thumper") to theatrically coughing up a hairball, it was hard to stay too haunted by her melodies. It was no surprise for me to find out later that comedic Owen is married to Spinal Tap’s Harry Shearer. To end the night, she closed with her one “joyful” song, “Happy this Way,” which sounded a bit like a Welsh jig and less like her more jazzy pop numbers. With a big whoosh of her pink coat, she stalked off the stage.
If you didn’t already know before attending a Blind Boys of Alabama concert that they are five-time Grammy winners for their Gospel music, then you will be quickly educated. Because they will tell you. Over and over.
The three main vocalists, and the only blind members of the seven-piece ensemble, were led onto the stage in a train formation by their drummer. Looking rather dapper and just a little bit flashy in their white suits, they carefully made their way through mic stands and cords to find their respective chairs. But they didn’t sit for long, as they began by introducing themselves and their Grammy awards and then went right into “Down by the Riverside” from their recent Grammy-winning Down in New Orleans album. Thus the revival began. Songs that followed went from inspirational to fiery, from messages of hope to spirited covers of 1960s classics. Their rockin’ rendition of “Spirit in the Sky” brought huge cheers from the audience, as did “Amazing Grace” played to the tune of “House of the Rising Sun.” At times, the Blind Boys jumped to their feet and shimmied to their own hymns. Though the Blind Boys have been around since 1939, no one can say that they are out of touch with popular music. They have opened for such music greats as Peter Gabriel and collaborated with Ben Harper. The unlikely match with the latter resulted in the song “There Will be a Light,” a slower song that shows the influence of Harper’s classic rock style blended beautifully with the Blind Boys’ soulful gospel vocals. This collaboration also won a Grammy and the Blind Boys were more than happy to tell the audience all about it.
Being around since 1939 when they were known as The Happyland Singers, they have maintained a large following in the gospel community, but you can imagine that their fans attending this concert weren’t the young types. So I think I was expecting a little too much when I thought it would be a raucous, out-of-body religious experience. The Boys themselves, however, still know how to swivel their hips and seem to have as much vocal power as they did while in their twenties, going from their low gravelly ranges to the high falsetto with ease and might.
After several decades and even more albums, the Blind Boys of Alabama still pack a powerful punch. The next time I am graced with their presence, I hope to hear about even more Grammy wins.
* Sadly due to a photopass delay we were not able to capture any photos of the opener, Judith Owen. Our apologies to her.
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Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
By the way, I really liked the mp3 posted. Thanks.
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “Picture yourself coasting your bike past space funk palm trees, homeless harpists, vintage video arcades, electronic drum circles, and 60s psychedelic singers who’re waiting for the bus. Cosmogramma is kinda like that if someone suddenly tripped you just as you’re starting to enjoy the ride. But in a good way.””
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
I once saw the Blind Boys at the old House of Blues in Cambridge, and it definitely had more of that goin’ to church feel you were hoping for. It was a small crowded room with no seats, and when they did the train through the crowd, they were truly relying on the people (and the Holy Spirit) to get them back to the stage. It was such an awesome night--and fun to see gospel music so well received in an arguably unreligious town. I later saw them open for Peter Gabriel in a large arena, and they seemed just as comfortable in that venue.