Alejandro Escovedo (with Tim Rogers), Lizotte's, March 5.
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"I played this with Bruce Springsteen in Houston."
"I was living in the Chelsea Hotel when Nancy died."
"James Williamson from The Stooges played on Teenage Luggage."
Alejandro Escovedo has been there, done that, Yet, at 68, he is reaching new career peaks. His 2018 album The Crossing has been lauded internationally, with the subject matter (immigration to the US from Mexico) alerting new fans to his talent, particularly in Europe, where he has recently toured and will be visiting again next month.
In person, he is a humble songwriting hero, as he ably demonstrated before a modest crowd. The Hispanic American pushed his show to nearly two hours, thanks to a three-song encore that was more than the quiet crowd deserved.
Matching up Tim Rogers with him for his first-ever Australian tour was a stroke of genius, with Rogers' nimbly adding depth and drama with guitar to Escovedo's bag of original tricks (with a couple of covers thrown in).
The first hour was full of stories and acoustic tunes, with Escovedo giving the audience the benefit of the doubt with rich back stories of his life and the origins of the songs he reeled off - San Antonio Rain, Five Hearts Breaking,Texas Is My Mother, Teenage Luggage.
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Sensing a need to liven up the crowd, he and Rogers walked off the stage and into the crowd, upping the ante with acoustic intensity. Rogers took a short resting break, sitting on the front of the stage, while Escovedo played an emotional version of one of his own, Rosalie.
The show took a jolting change in direction as the duo retook the stage, launching into a stunning punk-driven Chelsea Hotel '78 (yes, Sid and Nancy are in it) and following it with Everybody Loves Me ("everybody says they love me but I don't know why") from his Bourbonitis Blues album (released in 1999).
Velvet Guitar, a perfect mainstream rocker, followed before the pace slowed again.
The set wound up with Always A Friend (the tune he proudly played with Springsteen).
Escovedo maintained the strength to the end, finishing on a great rockin' version of Castanets with Rogers and him in full flight on guitars.
I almost felt like scratching "Alejandro was here" on the wall so people won't forget another music legend has just graced this stage.
Jim Kellar
Jim Kellar writes about culture, art, food, drinks and music. He's been a journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1997. jkellar@newcastleherald.com.au
Jim Kellar writes about culture, art, food, drinks and music. He's been a journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1997. jkellar@newcastleherald.com.au
