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| Home > Reviews > Richard Thompson and Madeleine Peyroux at Boulder Chautauqua |
| Richard Thompson and Madeleine Peyroux at Boulder Chautauqua | | Date Created: Jun 22, 2005, 08:53 AM |
 Missed Van Morrison at Red Rocks the previous weekend but got to have a nice dinner and run through the thundershowers and hail to the Chautauqua auditorium to see Richard Thompson and Madeleine Peyroux.
Sort of an odd combination. I thought Richard Thompson was headlining and Peyroux was the opening act. Thompson has been around since his English folkie days with Fairport Convention in the late 60's. He's toured with bands and solo with a reputation for great songs, great guitar playing, and a great voice with a lot of passion and energy. Best CD short of his greatest hits collections is, 1991's "Rumor and Sigh".
All were on display last night, but he opened the show and played by himself. Like Leo Kottke, he can make his guitar sound like two are playing at the same time but there's still only so much single voice and guitar can do.
Thompson played a nice mix of new stuff (he has a new CD coming out in August), old stuff, and a few novelties like "Alexander Graham Bell". "1952 Vincent Black Lightening" brought a tear to the eye. The older songs were the lesser known ones to me, "Bathsheba Smiles", "Cooksferry Queen", "Walzing's for Dreamers", and "Cold Kisses" were left off the Greatest Hits of Richard Thompson I threw together before the show but should be included, particularly "Walzing's for Dreamers".
One favorite he played was "I Feel So Good" but missing were my favorites like "Wall of Death", "Shoot Out the Lights", "Keep Your Distance", and "Read About Love". Still, a very satisfying set by a triple-threat musician who still has what it takes. Looks pretty good for around 60 too.
Madeleine Peyroux played the Fox Theater in Boulder earlier in the year and I missed it. She also played the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in May and I was there but missed her day performing. I had to take this chance to see her at Chautauqua. She's on her second CD and got picked up by the AAA format and plugged by KBCO and her record label to be the next Nora Jones.
I don't think it's going to happen. Her live performance with a three piece band (keyboards, drums, acoustic bass) and her own French chanteuse guitar was no improvement on the CD's and she doesn't have the power of voice, stage presence, or energy to front a band and put on an entertaining show. She also seemed uncomfortable with the set list, her voice (coughing in front of the microphone?), and the audience.
She does have a voice though. It does best on French lyric songs and the Billie Holiday phrasing. It's just not versatile enough and consistent enough to carry a solo concert. Her other strength is song selection but that's on the CD's too.
So go see Richard Thompson whenever you get the chance, but check out Madeleine Peyroux's CD's and skip the concerts.
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