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John Hiatt took his vocals to new heights of scruffiness during his acoustic set at the 9:30 Club last weekend. |
By JESSE SCOTT
For one mellow evening, the 9:30 Club in Washington was transformed into Alexandria's Birchmere. The walls that are normally subject to blasting guitars, drums and bass got a night off last Sunday.
John Hiatt and Shawn Colvin were wrapping up their solo acoustic tour, which has taken them across the country for the past six weeks.
With their separate bands, each musician would usually play a plugged-in set at the Birchmere. However, the two artists' joining together earned them an upgrade to the larger 9:30 Club.
The evening was unlike your average D.C. club-venue experience. Obnoxious people screaming on their cell phones were nowhere to be found. Sing-alongs were encouraged before the show, not during. And people took seats on the balcony stairs up above.
More than anything, it was about music appreciation--observing in silence while singing along in your heart.
Colvin opened up the evening. She walked out in a retro-hippie dress, wacky earrings and hair in a ponytail. She gave off a laid-back aroma--one that could be smelled a mile away.
Colvin strolled through a hearty acoustic set featuring "Sonny," "New York Black," "Walls Could Speak" and samplings from her new album due out in February.
She sounded as good as ever--if Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos had a miracle child, Colvin would be it. She hasn't necessarily matured with age (Colvin is in her mid- to late 40s), but she's maintained her solidity.
Between pieces, Colvin spoke of fond 9:30 memories. "I remember one year," she laughed, "I told them to take the cameras off me. Because they used to do a live feed here to televisions around the club. I told them to turn all the televisions on the Oscars. I just sat up onstage and watched the Oscars. That was fun."
Hiatt was next to hit the stage, draped in blue jeans and a collared shirt. He gave off a true American vibe.
Throughout the evening, the acclaimed singer-songwriter urged the crowd to help the fine people of New Orleans deal with their recent struggle.
Hiatt performed as you'd expect him to--with vocals scruffy to a point of clarity and lyrics that tugged at even the sourest of hearts.
While his vocals took a little adaptation (often reaching new heights of scruffiness), his music as a whole was both catchy and inspirational. It's amazing the feeling Hiatt puts into words and the passion he puts into them on stage.
Hiatt played a handful of songs from his latest album and threw in such classics as "Slow Turning," "Cry Love" and "Have a Little Faith in Me."
Colvin rejoined Hiatt at the end of the evening for a crisp, heartwarming rendition of "This Land is Your Land." With acoustic guitars disengaged, the two thanked the audience, urged for action in New Orleans and walked away from an ecstatic, mature crowd.
Their acoustic tour was a success, and you can guarantee that they'll be back for another spin or two (maybe not together). Hopefully they'll choose to kick it up another notch by bringing their full bands with them next time.
