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.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com