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  1. #1
    Rocket Surgeon Swish's Avatar
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    k.d. lang + Lyle Lovett = Nice Show

    Went to the Mann in Philly Tuesday evening to see this show, and despite the threatening weather, it worked out just fine. The Mann Center for the Performing Arts is an outdoor amphitheater...well, sort of outdoor. Let's say it's open-air with 4000 seats under cover, along with the large stage of course, and space 'under the stars' for another 10,000. Everyone there was under roof and I would guess somewhere around 3000 since there were a fair number of empty seats.

    Kathryn Dawn Lang was the opening act, and she didn't disappoint. I'm not a fan of her music for the most part, but I always thought she had a voice that is among the best of all time. The late great Roy Orbison stated that 'she has the best pipes in the business', and I believed him.

    She opened with an outstanding version of Neil Young's Helpless, backed by her 4 man band on piano, drums, bass and guitar. She did a couple other covers that blew away any of her own songs, especially Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and Patsy Cline's Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray, which was the final song of her encore. She also did one from Jane Siberry that was really nice, and another from Peggy Lee, but I can't recall the name of either song. Hellulujah, though, was my absolute favorite and put chills up and down my spine. k.d. has absolutely perfect control of her voice and can wow you without going over the top at every opportunity, unlike singers such as Celine Dione, Whitney Houston or nearly anyone trying to win American Idol.

    Setting up for Lyle and his Large Band seemingly took forever, and all hell broke loose shortly after they started playing, with thunder, lightning, and torrential downpours. The band was cooking though, so the weather eventually took a back seat to the music coming from the stage. I counted 14 in the band, including LL, and four backing vocalists as well. While the band dished out some of the best from his 'Lyle Lovett and His Large Band' record from 1989, including The Blues Walk, Good Intentions, and Nobody Knows Me, he also did a few of numbers with only a few backing musicians, most notably his minor hit "If I Had a Boat". The encore included Church from Joshua Judges Ruth, and, of course, Look at Me from LL and His Large Band.

    The rain had slowed to a light shower by the time we left, so it was easy getting out of the city, but we his some nasty storms on the way home, with rain coming down so hard that you could barely see to drive.


    G Swish
    I call my bathroom Jim instead of John so I can tell people that I go to the Jim first thing every morning.

    If you say the word 'gullible' very slowly it sounds just like oranges.

  2. #2
    Musicaholic Forums Moderator ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    Nice review Swish. I'm glad the rain didn't ruin your evening.

    Like you, I'm not a huge fan of k.d.'s music but think that she has one of the best voices that I'm ever likely to hear.

    I first heard her sing Hallelujah on an awards show (the Juno's?, not sure) where she was filling in for Neil Young who had to cancel due to illness. Her version of this song sent shivers down my spine and I bought the CD the very next day. To this day, everytime I listen to this CD I want to cry when I hear her sing that song...it's just so beautiful.

  3. #3
    Big science. Hallelujah. noddin0ff's Avatar
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    Wow, jealous!

  4. #4
    Forum Regular nobody's Avatar
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    Saw Lyle last summer and he is fantastic in concert. Wish KD had been with him then. Sounds like a perfect pairing.

  5. #5
    Suspended 3-LockBox's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Swish
    Hellulujah, though, was my absolute favorite
    That is a different take on that song.


    I've heard from others that LL put on a good show, and that his large band was usually stacked with the best the biz has to offer.

    Yes, Lang does have a superb voice and never tries to go for vocal pyrotechnics. I actually was a fan of k.d.lang when she came out (no pun intended). I had three of her CDs anyway, the last one being Ingenue, which was her first real break away from country. But it was lang who started the trend of revisiting 50s Bakersfield-honky tonk (along with Dwight Yokam), which paved the way for acts like Garth Brooks, The Mavericks and a host of new traditionalists. But it was lang who stirred interest in country among the college crowd, and made alternative country fashionable (along with Lovett). She's always bucked trends that I know of, making homages to honky tonk and western swing back when country music was still steeped in Reba McEntire, Alabama and Kenny Rogers clones. When her rock tinged Angel With A Lariet hit big, she responded with an homage to Patsy Cline, instead of making the formulaic sequel to a proven hit. Hell, her Absolute Torch and Twang album might have been the first country album I ever wanted to own (except for the obligatory couple of Alabama tapes that were date staples of my youth in Tennessee, I could'nt have cared less for country music).

    You couldn't ask for more mold breaking, trend bucking acts than Lovett and Lang. Their touring together is appropriate and I'm sure, a great evening of original music.

  6. #6
    Stainmaster Finch Platte's Avatar
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    Nice review, ol' boy!

    It was only capped by the banner proclaiming I was the 999,999 visitor and that I had won!

    elf pee

  7. #7
    Rocket Surgeon Swish's Avatar
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    Yeah, the band really cooked that night...

    Quote Originally Posted by 3-LockBox
    That is a different take on that song.


    I've heard from others that LL put on a good show, and that his large band was usually stacked with the best the biz has to offer.
    ...and I prolly could have written a lot more about it, 'cept I was still pretty beat from lack of sleep the night after the show (got home at 1:30 in the AM), and was in a bit of a hurry after numerous distractions while typing my original post. Since I don't have their music catalogs memorized, I had to dig deep to remember many of the tunes they played.

    I have Absolute Torch and Twang and was hoping k.d. would do Pullin' Back the Reins, a personal favorite for me, but she didn't do anything from that record. Like you, I was a fan way back when (remember her doing 'Crying' with Roy Orbison?).

    Swish
    I call my bathroom Jim instead of John so I can tell people that I go to the Jim first thing every morning.

    If you say the word 'gullible' very slowly it sounds just like oranges.

  8. #8
    Forum Regular JDaniel's Avatar
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    Good review. I recently saw the songwriter's tour - Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, John Hiatt, Guy Clark. An excellent show. Hiatt was the standout. And Lovett closed the show by doing an awesome version of Guy's "Step Inside This House".

    JD
    Tu le ton son temp..... That's what we'd say ... (Lucinda Williams)

  9. #9
    Forum Regular Audio Girl's Avatar
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    Swisheroo,

    If you do not own K.D. Lang's "Hymns of the 49th Parallel", I would encourage you to purchase it. First, of all the music is wonderful including "Hallelujah". Second, the mastering and quality of the CD recording is phenomenal. Highly recommended.

    Ag
    "And the three gifts of moving on are forgiveness, hope, and the great beyond, After that perhaps peace can come, Peace will come." -- Mary Chapin Carpenter (2007)

  10. #10
    Rocket Surgeon Swish's Avatar
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    Well, I just ordered it from deepdiscountcd...

    Quote Originally Posted by Audio Girl
    Swisheroo,

    If you do not own K.D. Lang's "Hymns of the 49th Parallel", I would encourage you to purchase it. First, of all the music is wonderful including "Hallelujah". Second, the mastering and quality of the CD recording is phenomenal. Highly recommended.

    Ag
    ...so thank you, and, well, welcome back for now.

    Swish, G Swish, or Swish Baby...but never Swisheroo.
    I call my bathroom Jim instead of John so I can tell people that I go to the Jim first thing every morning.

    If you say the word 'gullible' very slowly it sounds just like oranges.

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