Concert #589 - Madeleine Peyroux at the Luckman Arts Center (April 9, 2011)

In the beginning, Madeleine Peyroux was just a French name I occasionally saw here and there. Then my brother mentioned her once or twice, so I started paying attention. I sort of liked what I heard, but I certainly couldn't call myself a fan, not a connoisseur, pardon my French. But when I had the chance to grab a pair of front row seats to see her at the Luckman, I went ahead and shelled out a little over 100 bucks, a true leap of faith.

Then a few months ago, disaster struck: I watched Madeleine's appearance on "Austin City Limits" and I was so utterly unimpressed that I went straight to eBay to sell my tickets, at face value. Well, no one bought, so on April 9, there I was sitting with my better half in our choice seats, wondering what we were doing there.

The Luckman Arts Center

Believe it or not, we went home quite happy, having witnessed maybe not the finest show ever, but a good one nonetheless. Madeleine's singing style is not my style, but after a while, I accepted it and even enjoyed it. And then there was her band, four outstanding musicians who thoroughly impressed me both individually and collectively:

Jon Herington - Guitar

Gary Versace - Organ, keyboards and piano

Darren Beckett - Drums

Barak Mori - Bass guitar and upright bass

PARTIAL SET LIST

"Don't Wait Too Long"

"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" (Bob Dylan cover)

"Dance Me To The End Of Love" (Leonard Cohen cover) 

"Don't Pick A Fight With A Poet"

"Martha My Dear" (Beatles cover)

"Instead"

"River"

"Standing On A Roof Top"

"J'ai Deux Amours" (encore)

Her only French song was her encore, "J'ai Deux Amours". The highlights of the show were "Dance Me To The End Of Love" and "Don't Pick A Fight With A Poet". But speaking of highlights, I must once again mention the band, they were phenomenally good.

Madeleine Peyroux (center) and her band at the Luckman

Here's a great live rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me To The End Of Love":