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