Bakersfield, California June 3, 2007
"Well, she does fit the profile . . . "
Just returned from seeing Lindsey in Bakersfield, California.
He hasn't lost his voice or vigor in the intervening months. The show remained largely the same. The venue was The Fox Theatre, an old, single screen movie house. It was not sold out. Maybe less than 75% full.
Still, even though Lindsey is playing IHOP's, it's amazing to me how much promotion the little tour is getting. One of the local radio stations, 98.5, was broadcasting live from outside of the theater. Lindsey has done about a zillion interviews, has had a decent amount of radio and tv coverage. I think it's more than a coincidence the way the Conan rerun and the Salt Lake City, Utah WE show (Monday night) are just happening to air when the next leg of the tour is kicking off.
I was up in San Diego last week to see Stevie's Chula Vista show and I still saw posters from Lindsey's last appearance in the area (last year0 on the street posts as I drove down the main thorough fare. I don't know how much good it is doing him, but there seems to be more press for this tour than there was for the SYW tour.
Lindsey tweaked the arrangements a bit for each of the songs. When he comes out, instead of starting to play Not Too Late immediately, he stops beside the mic and bows for a moment. I considered Not Too Late a rather quiet song, but he raises his voice and shouts some of the lines near the end, kicking up the intensity a notch. Before there was a progression. He seemed very insular for the first song and then started to let loose during Trouble, before going wild on NGBA. But now, he kind of revs up early.
I'm not sure how I like it. I thought the contrast was good before. The way he let things build up, slowly adding layers over the course of the first 3 songs, before the band finally joined him and the rocking started. One thing about Lindsey is -- he's psychotic. He really likes to scream and be crazy, but he can have this placid exterior, so people don't necessarily know that about him at first. I think we need to keep the restraint at the beginning, so that you can appreciate the intensity and frenzy more in the later part of the set.
When he introduces Red Rover he says that he has been known to write some strange songs, but this one is uber-strange and it is also uber-cynical. He starts talking about the "Gods" and someone in the audience yells, "Red Rover." He responds, "So, you've seen this show before?" He says the song is very cynical, but nonetheless "tender."
Someone then screams out for ISA and he turns to the band and says, "Do you think we can squeeze So Afraid in later in the show? I think we'll be able to do that." Yeah, that's smooth, as if anyone has been able to escape any concert of yours in the last 35 years without having to be subjected to I'm So Afraid. You basically would have to slip, fall and die before you stopped singing that thing.
ISA gets a tremendous ovation.
After Castaway Dreams, he throws the guitar pick he used onto the stage floor. Fans run to the stage to see if they can reach it and slide it off the stage. One woman takes a more direct route and says to Lindsey, "I'll need a pick before I leave tonight."
Lindsay says, "You'll need what? A picture."
Woman: "No a guitar pick."
Lindsey: "Ok." He goes to his mic stand, gets a pic and gives it to her saying, "I don't use picks very much." Yeah, baby, you didn't when you were younger. Now that arthritis is setting in, who know what prosthetics you'll be using next.
He likes to say that Castaway Dreams is about "joyously" dancing on the dreams that you've let go of, but the song really is not that happy. It's wistful. It's not mournful, but the protagonist is not actually celebrating the fact that he's leaving the past behind, no matter how positive a spin Lindsey tries to put on things with his introduction. The way he describes that song reminds me of the way he describes Never Going Back Again. He says NGBA is about finding happiness too. The verses say the songs are about one thing and Lindsey says they're about something else. I'll believe the lyrics over Lindsey.
When he introduces Under The Skin he says that it's for someone he's known a very long time. The woman in the audience (guitar pick woman) screams out, "Stevie Nicks!" Lindsey cocks his head, looks at her and says, "Well, she does fit the profile, but . . ." The woman, who I should mention was obviously drunk, said, "It was me! You wrote the song about ME." Lindsey nods and laughs as if to acknowledge she might be right and says that it's about all of us who are having trouble getting from Point A to Point B.
For Big Love, there's a huge spotlight that shines on him and directly into my eyes, where I am sitting on the left side of the stage. The glare is blinding and I only get relief during those moments when Lindsey steps up and blocks the light with his body by passing in front of the beams. He creates an eclipse more magnificent than any the astrologers have studied.
When he ends Go Insane with those gutteral, raspy yells, I just don't know how he keeps from going hoarse. I don't think a voice coach would approve, but it seems to work for him.
Alfredo, the new drummer, has a wonderful bongo solo during World Turning. It's different from before. He sounds just as good as Taku. Of course, he doesn't look as good, but . . .
There's a new, cool little moment in I Know I'm Not Wrong when the music stops and the men sing, "a year gone bad" acapella. I like it a lot. Then Lindsey sings "Ha ha ha" in time to the music.
When Lindsey introduces the band, he says that he's known Neale since the days when they were all hurting themselves. Then, when Neale takes a sip from his cup, Lindsey says, "put that down!" He suggests that Neale might be still hurting himself. This reminds me of something Chris Isaak does in his show and I have to wonder if Lindsey has caught one of Stevie's shows with Isaak.
Lindsey introduces Alfredo as the "Groovin' Cuban." I'm not sure why he must be described as Cuban throughout the tour, but whatever. He says that Alfredo has brought the band up a step and it's not just about how you play. It's about having chemistry together. What does Lindsey mean by this? Alfredo doesn't play well, but they get along, so it's all good??
He says he hopes to have Alfredo well into the future, because he will have a new album out early next year and he hopes Alfredo will be there when he tours with that.
After Lindsey introduces Brett by saying that he's very versatile and the ladies in the audience can vouch for that, Brett says that he loves Lindsey and loves what he stands for. I love Lindsey too, but I'm not exactly sure what he stands for. Brett says that this tour has gone on for 9 months and he can't wait to see what next year holds.
Shut Us Down is the encore. At the end, Lindsey does this thing where he plays with one hand, taking his left hand off of the neck of the guitar for a second and playing only with his right. He does it several times in succession, for show and the audience responds. Pretty cute.
Here comes the nighttime. Looking for a little more.
Hope to catch the show again next week.
Michele
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