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