Concert review - Melissa Etheridge

15 August 2009 (Bohemian Nights, Fort Collins CO)
Every year, the people running New West Fest in Ft. Collins bring in some big name artists for a free show on the street downtown. Past shows have included the Cowboy Junkies, Los Lobos, and Little Feat. This year, the headliner was Melissa Etheridge, performing a solo set. As you'd expect with a free outdoor show like this, the street was packed with serious fans and casual listeners.

Melissa Etheridge came out strong, playing a funky arrangement of Brave and Crazy on 12 string guitar. It's been years since I've seen her, but her voice hasn't weakened a bit. She still has that Janis Joplin/Bonnie Bramlett vibe, where she can lay out that hoarse, sultry sound or some soulful blues. She has deepened as a performer, too. She's really learned how to own the stage and invite the crowd into her "home", both through her singing and between songs. Her banter about coming to Ft. Collins and joking about her dated use of the term "super cool" was comfortable and unforced.

She played the 12 string for most of the set, but occasionally switched to a semi-acoustic electric. Chrome Plated Heart was the first song she played electric and it kicked. She changed stage position to get up on the riser that made up the back half of the stage. Stomping her feet along with the playing, she accompanied her self on percussion. It was a great way to build more of a rock energy and drive the crowd. This dynamic shift was typical of the set - she'd build the energy, then push that into a more intense emotional space, and then back.

Aside from playing through many of her well known songs, Etheridge also played piano on a cover of Joan Armatrading's The Weakness In Me. This is one of my favorite Armatrading songs. I think it's a hard song to pull off, because it's a deeply conflicted song and lends itself to overwrought interpretation. Etheridge did a decent job, but didn't quite nail it. Still, it's good to see Joan Armatrading's music get some recognition.

Enough of Me was a high point in the show, starting with the levels down to a desperate whisper, then building up to a defiant intensity. This energy propelled the second half of the set, leading into I Run For Life and other familiar tunes. The encore of Piece of my Heart was a perfect closer. It started out fairly similar to the original, including some of the vocal tics, but where Janis stripped it down into a deep, hurt place, Melissa raised it up as a defiant anthem. It was a great mood to take home after a night of great music. The only thing missing was a smooth single malt, like Dalwhinnie. That had to wait until I got home.

More photos at my Flickr.