October 8, 2014

Concert #728 - Parker Millsap at McCabe's Guitar Shop (October 5, 2014)


Q:  Did the show sell out?

A:  No, only about seventy inspired people showed up. Come to think of it, that's not bad for a relative newcomer scheduled to perform at 8 PM on a Sunday.

Q:  Did you get your money's worth?

A:  Absolutely, and then some.

Q:  How can you best describe Parker's performance?

A:  Unique. Youthful. Refreshing. Full of energy. Humorous. Innovative. Multifaceted. Consistently good, from start to finish. Not afraid to go out on a musical limb. Many singer-songwriters out there fall under the "you've heard one song, you've heard them all" category, but Parker's music places him at the opposite end of the spectrum. His vocals are something special and he can play the guitar, too.

Parker Millsap at McCabe's
Q:  What kind of music does he play, anyway?

A:  That's not easy to answer, but let me try. I'd say it's a modern mix of gospel, folk, blues and country that somehow still manages to sound old-schoolish. 

Q:  Is he following someone else's wake?

A:  Not at all. Parker is not copying anyone. Nor is his style easily imitable. 

Q:  How's his songwriting?

A:  He wrote most of the songs he sang for us and they were all outstanding, both in terms of     
tunefulness and variety. He sang two covers, namely Robert Johnson's "Hot Tamales (They're Red Hot)" 
and the traditional "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out".

 Q:  Did he perform solo?

A:  No. He was accompanied by Daniel Foulks on fiddle and Michael Rose on upright bass. They were both outstanding, especially Daniel, who impressed me not only with his beard and hair, but also with his musicianship. His fiddle sounded rich and warm, without any trace of the strident whine often produced by fiddlers.

Parker Millsap and Michael Rose at McCabe's
Parker Millsap and Daniel Foulks at McCabe's

Q:  The evening's highlights?

A: Tough question. Everything Parker did was great, but I particularly loved "Old Time Religion" and the very intense "Land Of  The Red Man", the evening's one-song encore. Among the small handful of slower numbers that he played, the one I liked the most was "Forgive Me".

Q:  Did he have a predetermined set list?

A:  There was no written set list. He picked his songs as he went along. Here's a nearly-complete list of the songs we heard Sunday night:

You Gotta Move
Palisade
Homeless
Heaven Sent
The Villain
The Morning Blues
Hot Tamales
Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
Land Of The Red Man
Old Time Religion
Quite Contrary
Truck Stop Gospel
I Hope I Die
Mansion Over The Hilltop
When I Leave
At The Bar
Forgive Me

Q:  His personality?

A:  Parker is an exceptionally likeable young man who possesses a disarming smile and projects the image of the proverbial "boy next door". 

Q: Anything else to add?

A: In recent years, I've seen quite a few younger singer-songwriters, but no one has affected me as much as Parker. This guy is truly special and I can't wait to see him again.

Parker Millsap at McCabe's
The stage
Merch table note
Daniel Foulks' fiddle
Parker Millsap T-shirts for sale
 

October 5, 2014

Concert #727 - Justin Currie at McCabe's Guitar Shop (October 4, 2014)


Last night at McCabe's, Justin Currie of Del Amitri fame treated the sell-out crowd to a veritable smorgasbord of very good songs and even better singing. Without a doubt, his voice and singing style rank among the very best I have ever heard at McCabe's or anywhere else, for that matter. Whether using his normal singing voice or unleashing his precise falsettos, Justin's phrasing and overall delivery went straight to my heart and brain, making me wonder how it was possible for a singer of his talent to have eluded me for so many years.

Justin Currie at McCabe's
Prior to the show, I did give "Lower Reaches", Justin's most recent solo album, a good listen. I liked what I heard, but listening to Justin in a live setting was a whole lot better. His eighty-five minute set had plenty of music and just the right amount of spoken word. Justin used two acoustic guitars to provide his own accompaniment. He also played the keyboards, which sounded a bid too loud from where I was sitting. Using a Gretch electric guitar and a rarely-seen instrument that may be called a lap guitar, fellow Scotsman Stuart Nesbit provided part-time support.

Justin Currie (right) and Stuart Nesbit debating what song to play
To these ears, the best song of the evening was "Everyone I Love", which featured a whistling part that reminded me of Roger Whittaker and his African style of whistling. Other songs that stood out: "Every Song's The Same", "Priscilla", "Falsetto", "Always The Last To Know" and "Food For Songs".

There was no opening act.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening that I hope to experience once again, preferably also at McCabe's.

Justin Currie at McCabe's

The set list
Justin Currie T-shirts