Lyle Lovett fans out there?

[nobody]

I’ve been enjoying the local Live on the Levee free concerts in St. Louis this year and this past weekend was no exception. Lyle Lovett played and I just figured I’d take the chance to tell anyone who has the chance to go see him live to make sure you don’t miss out. I’d have paid to see him, but getting a show lasting over two hours without a break for free was about as good as it gets…watching the show on the sticky banks of the Mississippi in the summer with barges rolling by in the background was just a bonus as were the post show fireworks.

Anyway, Lyle starts out with just him, his acoustic guitar and a cello player to begin the evening, and slowly pulls out additional musicians from his Large Band. First, another guitar comes out…then a bass player and drummer…then another percussionist and a steel guitar player…then a horn section…a piano player, and so on until the stage was full. He even had a top notch group of background singers that included a woman who stepped up front and dig a great version of I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl late in the show.

Musically, he and the band excelled in a wide range of styles, from straight up country, to blues , to gospel, and even an Irish tune, thanks to a fella from the Chieftains along for the ride. Hell, the cello solo later on leaned toward the avant classical side. These guys could all play and play damn near anything. I had to talk my non-fan wife into going with me with the promise of fireworks and having a few of her friends along, but by the time it was all over, the show had won her over. She was glad she came and was very impressed with the band. For a fan like me, it was simply fantastic.

OK…I do wish he’d have played She’s No Lady and a couple other songs, but he’s got a big catalog to go to these days and he hit plenty of highlights along the way. If you’re a fan at all and get the chance to see him live…don’t hesitate.


Next week its early 80s funk night with Morris Day & The Time opening for Cameo.

[Resident Loser]

...first saw him an PBS Austin City Limits, long ago, forget when...late 80s maybe...and I knew this guy was the real deal...

jimHJJ(...exceptional...)

[3-LockBox]

I’ve been enjoying the local Live on the Levee free concerts in St. Louis this year and this past weekend was no exception...Next week its early 80s funk night with Morris Day & The Time opening for Cameo.

I'm in such envy that ohter communities do this. The little town of Moses Lake, Washington does this...its not always big name acts, but its people performing in a live setting for free. A couple of years ago it was The Coasters (or a bunch of old blacks saying they were The Coasters). But they had a full band, wore the tuxes, did the routines...every kid in town was there and the lead singer encouraged everyone to dance and even picked people out of the crowd to partcipate. It was a great way to end a summer day at the city park. Of course this subject always invokes a diatribe about how some city governments can manage to do stuff like this while others seem to piss away funds, but I'll spare you (this time).

I've heard that Lovette puts on a great show from a lot of people. Some people don't get him sometimes. I love songs like If I had A Boat but some country fans were put off by songs like that and Penguins. I don't what pisses me off more about country music, the industry or its sheep fans.

Morris Day and The Time opening for Cameo...that's gonna be another good one.

word

[Swish]

I’ve been enjoying the local Live on the Levee free concerts in St. Louis this year and this past weekend was no exception. Lyle Lovett played and I just figured I’d take the chance to tell anyone who has the chance to go see him live to make sure you don’t miss out. I’d have paid to see him, but getting a show lasting over two hours without a break for free was about as good as it gets…watching the show on the sticky banks of the Mississippi in the summer with barges rolling by in the background was just a bonus as were the post show fireworks.

Anyway, Lyle starts out with just him, his acoustic guitar and a cello player to begin the evening, and slowly pulls out additional musicians from his Large Band. First, another guitar comes out…then a bass player and drummer…then another percussionist and a steel guitar player…then a horn section…a piano player, and so on until the stage was full. He even had a top notch group of background singers that included a woman who stepped up front and dig a great version of I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl late in the show.

Musically, he and the band excelled in a wide range of styles, from straight up country, to blues , to gospel, and even an Irish tune, thanks to a fella from the Chieftains along for the ride. Hell, the cello solo later on leaned toward the avant classical side. These guys could all play and play damn near anything. I had to talk my non-fan wife into going with me with the promise of fireworks and having a few of her friends along, but by the time it was all over, the show had won her over. She was glad she came and was very impressed with the band. For a fan like me, it was simply fantastic.

OK…I do wish he’d have played She’s No Lady and a couple other songs, but he’s got a big catalog to go to these days and he hit plenty of highlights along the way. If you’re a fan at all and get the chance to see him live…don’t hesitate.


Next week its early 80s funk night with Morris Day & The Time opening for Cameo.

...he makes everything seem. No bombastic solo guitars, no in-your-face jams, and his vocals just seem to flow out of him. I like his gospel-tinged songs, his Big Band songs, and his acoustic alt-country stuff. Just heard "If I Had a Boat" from the album Pontiac the other day on Sirius, and I had to spin the whole cd when I got back home. Great stuff.

Swish

[tentoze]

If I Had A Boat is a song for the ages. Lyle's been languishing a bit lately from a new songs-relelase perspective, but he has the chit. A perennial favorite around Fortress Tentoze.

[Resident Loser]

...is from his self-titled first album...very unlike anything else in the set...
You Can't Resist It...The guitar hook...His nuanced vocal... the harmony...

jimHJJ(...it's got everything you need and shoulda' been a hit single IMO...)

[JSE]

I've seen Lyle several times here in Houston and in Austin. I DON'T like country music at all but I love Lyle's. He puts on a great show and the sound is amazing. Clean and effortless.

If you have never seen him, check him out. Even if you are not a country fan like me!