11/30/05: Richard Thompson at the Carriage House Theatre at Villa Montalvo


Thompson lives up to my long-time fandom, just him and his guitar

Richard Thompson gave a nearly perfect concert last night. He came on, spent two straight hours playing and singing...and telling jokes when he had to replace a broken string. He rocked; he sang ballads; he took requests from the crowd; he led singalongs; he did two encore sets. And he sang two of my requests and launched into one of my favorites just when I was thinking I'd like to hear it. Best of all he totally wowed my S.O...which means it will be easier to convince him to go back with me to see Thompson again the next time he's in town.

Thompson's guitar technique is stellar. When strumming he has the muscular style of a Pete Townsend. But most of the time he makes his single guitar sound like lead, rhythm and and bass guitar by picking steady bass lines on the upper strings, while strumming with the rest of his hand and picking melodies with his left hand. Reminiscent of the work of the late Michael Hedges, I was happy to sit in the third row and get a really close work at his hands while he played.

Thompson's voice is his alone...which is what I miss in most of today's stars. You cannot mistake him for another. He has a deep resonant undertone, even when singing in his higher register. He shifts around effortlessly, he sings with precision, with diction, with character, with emotion. Fantastic interpreter of his own work.

But more than his playing and singing, Thompson thrills me with his concise and incisive songwriting. He tells stories, even in his uptempo numbers. He sketches very simple but clear portraits of people and relationships. He has mastered the art of playing the world weary observer who maybe rueful but isn't bitter. (Although he does have a really good bitter non-love song or two in his repertoire.

I've followed Thompson's work for the last dozen years or so, and some of his music evokes very specific memories for me. Take 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. A poignant story song of a love triangle between a red-headed girl, a no-good boy, and his first love: his motorcycle. Over a dozen years ago I was in love with my own bad boy. OK, he wasn't really bad. He was just very different than other guys I had dated...and I'm not sure my family & friends understood the attraction. Well, to me he was beautiful (yes, lust was a big part of the relationships.) Anyway, we were driving from San Jose to Santa Barbara at night once, and at one point we did what young couples sometimes do...we pulled off the freeway at the nearest exit, found a secluded spot and whiled away some time making out in the car...steaming up the windows while the car stereo played a mix tape I had made specially for the trip. (Yes, that's ancient history: the days we made mix tapes.) 1952 Vincent Black Lightning is the only song I remember playing during that little tryst. I don't know why it particularly sticks in my head. But hearing it always reminds me of that time...younger, head over heels, late at night and being romantic (and naughty.)

Thompson played a long list of my favorites, including many from his excellent new album, Front Parlour Ballads (Let It Blow, My Soul My Soul, For Whose Sake.) He also played songs of his that you may have heard other artists perform: Dimming of the Day (at my request) also performed by Bonnie Raitt and the Five Blind Boys, I Misunderstood, also performed by Mary Black and Persuasion, also performed by Tim Finn. He touched on songs from many other of his albums too. The other request of mine that he played was his version of the Britney Spears song Oops I Did It Again. You have to hear it to believe it. He makes it sound like a quality piece of songwriting. (It's on one of his live albums, 1000 Years of Popular Music.)

Thompson established a rapport with the audience from the beginning and interacted with us often. So between his unquestionable musical skills and his engaging stage personality, you can add Thompson to my list of "will pay to see every time he comes to town."

Buy Front Parlour Ballads at Amazon.com
Buy Rumor & Sigh, featuring 1952 Vincent Black Lightning at Amazon.com
Buy Beat the Retreat , a Richard Thompson tribute album at Amazon.com
Buy 1000 Years of Popular Music on Amazon.com

The Richard Thompson section at iTunes Music Store

Posted: Thu - December 1, 2005 at 10:49 AM       EmailFeedback

©