Concert Review: Guitar Genius David Lindley at Lilypads
Monday, May 18, 2015
Saturday night at Lilypads, music fans had a rare opportunity to see and hear legendary guitarist David Lindley. The show was an unparalleled success, complete with brilliant musicianship, singular storytelling, and offbeat humor.
David Lindley
David Lindley is not your typical folk artist. There’s not a long line of albums released in his name, he’s not a prolific songwriter and he doesn’t tour much. He’s a sideman, regarded as one of the best guitarists in the business, and has toured and recorded with pretty much every major 70’s musician including Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder and Linda Ronstadt.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“An Evening with David Lindley” was a night of guitar wizardry - with no opening act, and no accompaniment – just a man, some great songs, and a bunch of vintage stringed instruments. Lindley’s known as a purveyor of country blues, and the show featured a number of tunes that have travelled around the South and up and down the mountains of Appalachia.
In between amusing stories on topics ranging from Warren Zevon’s guns to his stint in the 1960’s as a Disneyland musician, Lindley took those assembled on a magical tour of stringed instruments including a Turkish oud, a rare Wiessenborn lap guitar, and his bouzouki, an 8 stringed Greek instrument that doubles as a five string banjo.
Sage-like in status, the 71 year old artist resembles Benjamin Franklin, physically and spiritually; he can in fact be considered a founding father of the 1970’s Southern California rock scene.
First Set
Lindley opened with his most well known song “Mercury Blues,” declaring that “any song in the world can and should be done in a reggae song.” Of course, Lindley’s version was played on his lap guitar with a reggae inspired bass line. He’s a confident artist, basically warming up with his most popular tune (if Spotify “hits” mean anything).
Next up, out came the bouzouki, a beautiful 8 string Greek instrument, full of bluesy twang and vintage swagger. Lindley ripped into “Johnson Boys,” a classic country blues tune which highlights his expertise playing three parts - rhythm, lead and bass – all at the same time. Add a percussive flourish here and there and it’s a quartet of one.
A pleasing version of “Well, Well, Well” followed, a song co-written by Bob Dylan and Danny O’Keefe. Then Lindley returned to the bouzouki for the classic murder ballad, “Pretty Polly.” He shared a story of recording the tune with Dolly Parton, who told him he should feel free to change the words, because “she said people did the same song a different way from valley to valley.” The lyrics are intense and his haunting version sounded as if it was indeed crying out from the hills of Appalachia.
The first set closed with a Bonnie Raitt rarity, “Leave Home Boy,” renamed “Leave Home Girl” for this performance. The song featured Lindley’s lap style slide playing, along with a few Hawaiian guitar licks.
Second Set
Besides Jackson Browne, who he continues to tour with, Lindley is perhaps most closely associated with legendary singer/songwriter/hell-raiser, the late great Warren Zevon. After changing out of his trademark mismatched polyester shirt, he chose two Zevon tunes to open the second set, first a dirge-like “Indifference of Heaven.” Zevon’s lyrics are worthy of remembrance:
“Gentle rain falls on me
And all life folds back into the sea
We contemplate eternity
Beneath the vast indifference of Heaven”
Zevon’s “Mutineer” came next, a tune dedicated to the late B.B. King, with Lindley noting “I always thought that man was bulletproof.” Lindley’s take holds up as the signature version of the song, widely covered by artists including Bob Dylan, and more recently, by Jason Isbell on The David Letterman Show .
“Meatgrinder Blues,” an upbeat number, followed; and yes, the opening dialogue and random lyrics are indeed as disturbing as the title. Disturbing in a delightful “old weird America” sort of way (see book by Greil Marcus). It included passages about grinding oneself up into a nice Bratwurst and a brief (and appropriate) rant against corporate farming. The song, co-written with his daughter, “had to include really awful things; things that were true, things that needed to be said,” explained Lindley.
The next two songs featured the Turkish oud, a multi-stringed instrument whose drone is commonly heard in the Middle East and North Africa. An instrumental solo preceded the classic “New Minglewood Blues,” a song made famous by the Grateful Dead.
“I was born in the desert; Raised in a lion's den
I was born in the desert; Raised in a lion's den
Oh, my number one occupation; is stealing women from their men”
Lindley closed the set on bouzouki with a stunning version of “The Cookoo,” a song he played with his old group Kaleidoscope. His dark, ominous take took the song full circle, as if it tied up the loose ends of folk/country blues.
His encore was Bruce Springsteen’s “Brothers Under the Bridge,” a song about homeless Viet Nam vets, “a problem that shouldn’t be a problem.” Lindley dedicated the song to a group of Vets who live under the Colorado St. bridge in full view of the Veteran’s Hospital in Pasedena, CA. Message received loud and clear.
Lindley is part performer, part musical archivist, part social activist and part comedian – the whole package. His talent is indisputable and the show impressed on many levels. No doubt, he’s already made this reviewer’s list of the Top 10 concerts this year.
Lilypads – A Top Area Venue
The show was part of the “Music at Lilypads” series, held in the sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in the village of Peacedale in South Kingston. The room is a great listening space for about 200 and the all volunteer team should be commended for bringing such a great act to town.
Lilypads hosts great shows throughout the year. Check out a special chamber concert next Saturday – the Peacedale Hurdy Gurdy Palooza with the Jobe/Redfern Ensemble. Click here for their full schedule.
Ken Abrams reviews Roots, Rock and Blues for GoLocal. Comments welcome here.
Related Slideshow: David Lindley at Lilypads
Saturday night at Lilypads in Peacedale, music fans had a rare opportunity to see and hear legendary guitarist David Lindley. The show was an unparalleled success, complete with brilliant musicianship, singular storytelling, and offbeat humor. (Photos by Rick Farrell)
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