Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt: A SOLD OUT Acoustic Evening in Burlington Vermont
Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
Weathersfield Vermont
An Acoustic Evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt
Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
Burlington VT, January 17, 2014
This show has been SOLD OUT for months and has been much anticipated by the crowd that was lucky enough to buy tickets before the sell out. As one 30-something person mentioned to his friend before the show started, we've gotta be the youngest people here, I didn't think old people still went to concerts! Well, yes they do, especially concerts with this caliber of talent.
Lyle and John walked on stage a little after 8:00 pm after being introduced by Lyle's longtime friend and Large Band mate James Gilmer. Lyle asked John how his trip from Maine was and John replied that they pulled into Burlington at 5:30 am. John asked how his day was and Lyle said he enjoyed breakfast at the Pearl Street Diner. John said he's hoping to get some Nectar's fries after the show. This friendly banter is a signature of these performances and the reason many people buy tickets.
Most in the crowd has seen both performers with their respective bands, but seeing them perform acoustically side-by-side, is like being in their living room watching an amazing jam session.
Lyle Lovett, a singer, composer and actor, has a career that spans 14 albums. He has a gift for storytelling, both verbally and musically. He has four Grammy Awards, he was given the Americana Music Association’s inaugural Trailblazer Award, and was recently named the Texas State Musician.
John Hiatt's songs have been covered by folks like: Bonnie Raitt, Ronnie Milsap, Dr. Feelgood, Iggy Pop, Three Dog Night ("Sure As I'm Sittin' Here"), and the Neville Brothers. He only entered the music charts after 13 years of writing and performing. Hiatt began his solo career in 1974. He performed at the Paradiso in Amsterdam for the first time in 1979 opening for Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes!
During a banter break, Lyle Lovett recognized Jim Rooney in the audience, saying if not for Rooney he wouldn't be here on stage. He thanked Rooney for allowing him to sleep on his couch in Nashville those many years ago. Then asked Rooney to come up on stage for a song. After a "how could this accident have been prevented moment" of getting Rooney on stage, Rooney flip Lyle's guitar upside down and played a wonderful rendition of "Sittin' On Top of the World".
John said he's heard many versions of "Sittin' On Top of the World" but this was the best.
The two hour twenty minute show was very different from the one we saw in Rutland Vermont in October 2013:
Hiatt/Lovett One of Them Damn Days/Which Way Does That Old Pony Run
Marlene (new)/Sonia
Ethylene/Fiona
Buffalo River Home/Don't Touch My Hat
Lift Up Every Stone (Hiatt)
Sittin' On Top Of The World (performed by Jim Rooney)
Church (Lovett)
Icy Blue Heart/Promises
Crossing Muddy Water/White Boy Lost In The Blues
Drive South/LA County
Tennessee Plates/One Way Gal
Terms Of My Surrender (title track of upcoming album)/Fly Swatter Ice Water Blues
Master of Disaster/If I Had A Boat
Encore:
Memphis In The Meantime/My Baby Don't Tolerate
Next up Capital Center for the Arts in Concord NH January 18, 2014 8 pm.
More tour dates click here.
More performance images click HERE.