Lucinda Williams is one of the finest living exponents of the well made song, making sceptics into country rock apologists, and her uncommonly lean and literate lyrics inevitably inspire speculation on the influence of her father, the poet Miller Williams. Now in her mid-50’s, Williams is a sand-blasted frontierswomen, her voice coarsened into richer colours. The Shepherd’s Bush Empire’s sold-out crowd of forty-something men rightly adore her, over-compensating for her apparent unease with great, soft, warm surges of stage-bound love. But where once Williams’s shows rode Alternative Country’s first wave with raucous unruliness, her current set has hardened into routine. A production manager turns the pages of a ledger of lyrics. Crass lighting dictates appropriate emotional responses, rather than allowing her subtle songs the luxury of ambiguity.
Doug Pettibone delivers stillborn guitar solos, their endings evident in their very beginnings. It all sounds just like the record, tonight mainly 1998’s breakthrough Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, newly re-released with extra tracks. As Bob Dylan knows, the only way to deal with a weighty back catalogue is to ignore it, or abuse it and see if it still comes up shining, but Williams is cautious and tentative with her litter of songs. In the closing minutes, a blistering Real Live Bleeding Fingers.. picks up the pace before special guest Bruce Springsteen arrives to help bludgeon L’il Son Jackson’s blues Disgusted to death. Apart from a perfunctory drum solo, the closing number Joy allows the band to loosen up and hit an energy level that Williams’s shows used to start at and build from. Ten years ago, at this same venue, Emmylou Harris showcased her groundbreaking Wrecking Ball album to visibly distressed fans, who ultimately learned to love it. Williams could be a similarly bold elder stateswoman, but tonight she looks like she’d rather be Sheryl Crow.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk