The breakout star of last night’s Rascal Flatts show at
Burgettstown turns out to be someone who’s already had, in her own words, “a
long career.” While the Flatts put on their usual slickly produced modern
country / aw shucks revival spectacle, it was Ms. Crow’s opening hour-long set
which made the price of admission seem cheap. By the time she came onstage, the
sun’s last glow had all but dropped from the sky, and the massive crowd was in
place, tailgating having wrapped up early due to the drizzle. If Crow thought
“this is a perfect opportunity to blow the lid off this joint,” she was right.
And she did.
It is no secret that Sheryl Crow has given up the pretense
of being anything other than a country singer in recent years. Perhaps this is
because country music has expanded to include her kind of sound in its
ever-widening definition of the genre. Listening to her deliver classics from
deep in her catalogue last night made The
Inky Jukebox hear them in a new light, where they sounded fresh and
relevant — the sing of a good song if ever there was one. In particular was an exquisite
version of “Redemption Day,” which likely only those as old as Crow in the
audience will recall from her early work, but which was recorded by Johnny Cash
late in his life and only recently released. His vocal made an appearance for a
verse, and it didn’t seem at all forced or sentimental. It was during this song
that Crow also demonstrated one of what would be many subtle examples of her
experience and professionalism as a performer, when she gentled the song down
to whisper-level, the crowd completely rapt, before ramping it up with emotion
once again.
It was this display of utter confidence as an entertainer
that impressed and surprised The Inky
Jukebox the most. Crow treads the stage with aplomb, and lets her astounding
range and vocal acuity free to improvise the way good singers know they can,
the band completely behind her. She plays a mean guitar, but a meaner
harmonica. Oh Lordy, can she wield that thing like a blues master — at one
point breaking “Best of Times" down into one long rollicking harmonica-driven train ride
hurtling the song and the crowd down tracks to who knows where; no-one cared;
it was great.
Crow appeared to really be having fun up there, and the
crowd was on its feet dancing and applauding loudly after each song. She looked
in fine form physically and stylistically too; many a younger female singer
could take a page from her book. When she re-appeared later on to perform two
songs with Rascal Flatts, she added a bit of much-needed sexy spark to what
always feels a bit over-rehearsed when it comes to their “ad-lib” sections.
If you have the chance to go see her, do. She’s better in
person that on record, which is saying something.
