REVIEW: Leon Redbone @ Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville, 11/21

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REVIEW: Leon Redbone @ Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville, 11/21

POSTED: Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 5:55 PM

Filed Under: Music Show

"They told us, don't ever try that again."

The seating was unassigned, up in the balcony of the Colonial, people scrambling over one another to get a good squint at the show. Let's say these seats date from the days when nosebleed seats were the kids region or you'd better really love your neighbor, since your elbows are in each other's ribs. It was fun though, getting to a seat in the very first row of heaven, right in the center, surrounded by genuinely diehard Leon Redbone fans.

"They told us, don't ever try that again," said one fella registering mock indignation as he and his wife scooted by us. His great offense was buying every CD on the table and asking if he could get one signed. Somebody told him to try his luck with the dressing room door. Sure enough, Redbone opened right up and made these folks at home, graciously signing the LP the couple had dug up from Deep Storage.

As well he should have. The husband explained to the rapt listeners Up There Where the Air is Rare how they were regular Prairie Home Companion fans and that Mr. Redbone had been featured on one of the recent best-of shows. "I wonder if he's still alive" mused husband to wife."Let's check online." Pause and typing motions, followed by pantomime of scanning a screen. "Holy mackerel! He's playing Phoenixville next week! Where's Phoenixville?

Who cares? Let's go."

They were reading this good news in Harrisburg and bought their tix right away. Clearly Philadelphians aren't the only ones who wished Redbone didn't live that old tune, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore."

It was, of course, a night full of old pop tunes like "Sweet Sue," and "Marie," mixed with blues and even old minstrel show numbers. Redbone has fun with the sounds, not one to play the scratches off the 78's, but certainly to preserve the spirit of the must popular stuff. His absence lets us forget just how much pleasure there is in a Redbone show, from hot playing to an expressive voice capable of great tenderness, but often playful, gnawing the sounds like a mouthful of tough boiled spinach.

Redbone is a surreptitious educator, the professor of American popular culture we wish we'd all had, dropping historical facts amid the innuendo and the old jokes between songs.

Rich ("Ricardo when he plays the Continent," says Redbone) Barnes of the Blackbird Society Orchestra did a fine job of supporting Redbone's lead guitar, trading decorative lines with solid rhythm chops and the occasional set of slants and chimes played on National Steel guitar.

Another ornament to Mr. Redbone's performance was Vince Giordano, the amazing triple threat bandleader from NY. There was a bass sax, tuba and string bass all on stands, so VG could skip nimbly from one to the other. It's a pleasure to see a man who really enjoys his work and clearly Giordano was having ball, grinning and struggling to suppress guffaws at Redbone's stage persona's antics, choking back laughter to deliver his straight lines to Redbone's pseudo-Alzheimer's patter. Redbone would frequently outro a song, "That was a sing-along- I forgot to tell you," which would prompt a hollered request from the audience. Redbone would smile, and mumble the name to himself and turn to Giordano "Do I know that one?" Giordano would do the silent movies, overacting, big grin and vigorous nodding. Lots more vaudeville where that came from with Redbone telling jokes he readily admitted were at least 50 and maybe 100 years. old.

Speaking of jokes: local comic-in-training Jeff Soles opened. It seemed like he wasn't quite ready to work an audience that not only knows the words to "Harvest Moon" but is begging for it so they can sing along. His material was really funny in spots, but he delivery was way too tentative. Listen for his version of the TV newscaster trying to get a sound bite from a high school kid "witness" to some breaking news.

Sue

Posted 2010-02-09 21:57:31

You must not know anything about comedy, I offered Jeff his first headlining gig at my club in NJ.

He did an  amazing job, delivered very well and at the end received a standing ovation.

To say the least I am very proud to have him work for me at my club. Maybe you should come see his act again as a headliner.

I think maybe that the fact that this show was for a "different crowd of people", was the reason or maybe you just don't know comedy. I have been in the business for several years and book celebrity's as well as local comedians and he performs just as well if not better.

Your lucky he didn't break into singing Moon River to the audience he performed for.

Like I always tell him, opinions are like "a** holes everyone has one.

Posted by mary armstrong @ 5:55 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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