I can e-mail too, you know

Should have blogged about this a while back, but about a month ago my friend Brian and I drove to Louisville's Headliners Music Hall to check out Kathleen Edwards. My friend Brian knows more about music, especially female musicians, than most anyone I know. Over the years, since our college days together at UK, from time to time, a cassette of new music would pop up unannounced in my mail box.  Brian is always touting some new female artist of which I admit I am either unfamiliar or vaguely familiar.

That said, I am happy to say I discovered Edwards on my own. Loved her first album, Failer. Loved her second album, Back to Me. Always wanted to see her live. Was thrilled to find out she was going to be in Louisville to promote Asking for Flowers. Mentioned this to Brian at a UK basketball game. He said he'd like to see her, and a road trip was planned.

Happy to say Edwards was terrific. My being a veteran of 17 Springsteen shows, most in sold-out arenas, Headliners was an entirely different venue. It's a bar. With an open dance floor. Very few tables. And unfortunately, on this night, there was not an overabundance of patrons. Maybe 200. Maybe. And yet Edwards played as if there were 2,000. She rocked. She had a great time, showcasing her famous foul mouth, her band's talents, and a taste for Kentucky bourbon. Played most everything I had hoped to hear. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

(You can find an excellent review of the show and more pictures from the show at Backseat Sandbar. Photos by Cory Greenwell.)

But the surprise of the night was the opening act. I didn't know much about Dan Wilson. The name didn't ring a bell. When we arrived, Brian informed me that he was the lead singer for Semisonic, the Minneapolis trio (I think) famous for "Closing Time." That rang a definite bell. My 15-year-old son, Alex, went through a brief period when nothing but "Closing Time" could be heard from his room. (Coldplay is his band of choice at present.)  Yet on this night, Wilson opened with a song called "Easy Silence." Immediately, I thought, I know that song. And I did. It's on the Dixie Chicks' Taking the Long Way. And Wilson introduced it by saying, "This is a song I wrote with three cool chicks from Texas." And, yes, it turned out that this is the same Dan Wilson who helped write half the songs on that Grammy-winning CD.

The rest of Wilson's set was terrific. He was funny. The songs were good. Better than good in some cases. He engaged the crowd in a couple of sing-a-longs, and did a humorous intro into "Closing Time." Better yet, he joined Edwards for her first encore, a duet of his "Secret Smile." I knew I had to buy that song, which I did, purchasing Semisonic's Feeling Strangely Fine. I have also purchased Wilson's solo CD Free Life. It comes with my recommendation.

Anyway, in my post-concert investigations, I stumbled upon Wilson's web page . On it, he encourages e-mail. So I sent him one. Explained that I saw his Louisville show, that I enjoyed the show, and he had a new fan.

This morning, I found this in my in-box:

John, thank you very much for the good word. I enjoyed that tour quite a bit and I'm glad you liked the gig.

Peace
DW

So if from now on I use "Peace, JC" in my e-mail replies, you'll know the origin.

Comments

[Cory Greenwell]

John, glad you enjoyed my review. The concert was really fun & I was equally impressed with Dan...

-Cory
BackseatSandbar.com

[Craig]

John,

I know how you feel, me and a friend saw Lucinda Williams in a little bar down in Nashville about 12 years ago - only about 30 people could fit in there and it was fantastic!

[John Clay]

Am a Lucinda Williams fan, as well, but had conflicts the last couple of times she's appeared close by.

[Heather]

I thought you were swiping it from Rich Copley. :P