Santa Cruz CA, May 14, 2006 - the Rio Theatre
I just saw Richard Thompson at the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz. I had seen him perform ten years ago, in a brief showcase at a Tower Records in San Francisco, and was always impressed by that. So when I noticed that he was playing in town, I said, "hey! Give that guy a chance." The subtitle underneath his photo in the little ad, and on the poster at the venue: "1000 years of popular music" - didn't really sink in. I guess I thought that was the name of his new album. Perhaps it signified that he himself was the culmination of said 1000 years!
I'm vaguely aware of his standing and contributions. A pioneer on the British Electric Folk-Rock scene. Started out as a member of Fairport Convention and went on to a cultish and critically successful solo career including such classic-in-Britain outings as the cathartic breakup album Shoot Out The Lights with his then-soon-to-be-ex-wife Linda. A fantastic guitarist by all accounts. I was looking forward to a chance to experience more of his material firsthand.
Well, I must say I was disappointed in that respect. It's not his new album. In fact, I'm pretty sure he didn't play a single one of his songs all evening! This show was in fact devoted to showcasing the development of popular music over the past 1000 years.
I refuse to believe that this is a good idea for a show. Ancient rounds sung in Olde Englishe. Madrigals. An uplifting ditty composed in Norman French by Richard I while being held for ransom on the way home from the Crusades. A secular Renaissance ode to sneaking around, sung in Italian. Elizabethan troubadour romps. Work songs of various descriptions, from the Missouri River to the coal mines of Northern England (a snappy pro-union rabble-rouser detailing the horrible fate to befall the "Dirty Blackleg Miner"!). Moving on into and through the twentieth century with jazz harmony numbers, with tunes by Cole Porter and Noel Coward (the touching WWII blitz-era anthem "London Pride"), by Nat King Cole and Buck Owens. Then finally a selection of lesser-known rock and roll gems dusted-off and shined-up, interspersed with some famous hits.
One would think it would be excruciating to sit through all of that, performed mostly by one guy on an acoustic guitar (albeit ably assisted by two fine female musicians, one playing drums and the other dabbling in a little light piano, both singing backup and occasional leads). But one would be wrong. This show had exactly what I suspect it set out to have: real epic sweep. Thompson's soulful voice and insanely tasteful guitar work brought just about every single number right home. I continue to refuse to believe that this was a good idea for a show, but I have to admit - as executed it was a GREAT show. Yet it was also a refined cultural experience, and a demonstration of how thoroughly music over the centuries has rocked. Never in my life have I been so thoroughly edutained!
Only thing is...I still would like to see a Richard Thompson show. At some point. I feel like I have hardly any real good idea who this guy is, in terms of performing own personal music. But I will say this for him: his between-song banter was impeccable.
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