Lucinda Williams live

I've seen Lucinda several times, and always good or better performances. The best being when she closed her "Essence" tour in Santa Cruz, CA after a sold out stand at the Filmore. She was really excited by her "breakout" acclaim, and promised to play till the bouncers dragged her from the stage. Which they did, during a version of "Get right with God" that had everyone in her outfit banging on instruments on the stage. (By that point, she'd been sipping determinedly at something in beer cup all night.) Amazing show, but I was ready to go home! She's famously erratic, so not surprised about the mixed reviews here. Still very with a try, though.

On the recordings, I don't think anything since "Essence" has been up to the standard of "Carwheels" and "Essence." If you don't know it, I highly recommend the early "Happy Woman Blues."

John

Saw her last week at the wonderful Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA. Third time I've seen her live and it will probably be the last. She's a very strong songwriter and I own and enjoy most of her albums, but I don't care for her stage persona. She seemed particularly out of it at this show. I appreciate the talent in her current band, but they're a bit too in the badass/axe-slinger model for my taste (others will disagree). Robert Earl Keen and his band opened the show and stole the night as far as I am concerned. Add them to your don't-miss list.

I saw her live around 1999 and the sound/band was very tight. Prolly the most i have been impressed with band ever. Usually sound is disappointing. Not Lucinda's!

Hm, gave up on Lucinda after Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. All that false bravado and faux warbling not my cup of tea. She's one of those legends for the sake of it type. Been around so long she deserves something. Anything....

To stop a song and start over during a show is a rookie move. A lame one too; no matter the "perfectionist" tag shes get cred for. Read somewhere she drove Steve Earle nuts with her perfectionism. So much so he only recorded one of several songs he was supposed to do with her.

Kathleen Edwards - now there's a talent with a voice like an angel. Consummate performer to boot.

My wife and I saw a couple of years ago in Raleigh NC at Memorial Auditorium. Not bad, not bad at all. It's funny to hear all the different impressons of her stage persona. She was well engaged with the audience when we saw her, made a lot of small talk, and was relaxed and quite congenial. It was right before the election and thankfully, refreshingly, she didn't badger us with any lefty rubbish. She said only that people should vote and speak up "because that makes things interesting." I guess all the different opionions reflect how even seasoned performers have their up and down shows. IIRC, she chatted about her recent marriage and showed us her ring. Maybe that had something to with her good mood. She also mentioned how good the acoustics were there at Memorial Auditorium. She said she often can't hear herself at other venues.

Band was pretty good. I wasn't blown away but they did their job well (and opened for her separately as their own band). I hadn't heard all her new songs on a soon to be released album but was able to pick up on them right away. Only disappointment was she didn't play Righteously but that was alright because the rest of the show was solid.