Michael and I saw the insanely talented and under-appreciated singer/songwriter Lloyd Cole (or is literary rocker the term?) on Saturday night at Joe's Pub. I've been a huge fan since high school but never had the chance to see him live, so was thrilled to have my first experience be a one-man acoustic performance in such a great, small venue. Now 46, Cole poked fun at his graying hair ("Silver fox" is what the onetime heartthrob says he shoots for staring into the mirror these days) but showed no signs of aging, his voice sounding no different than it did in 1984 when the precocious "Rattlesnakes" album came out. He did a nice selection of songs from his Commotions days through his current (and absolutely wonderful) album, "Antidepressant." And while he disappointed the crowd by not performing "Forest Fire," he more than made up for it (in my mind) by doing "Late Night, Early Town," his eerie and sad homage to life in Los Angeles from 2003's stark "Music in a Foreign Language." 
Lloyd was much friendlier than this photo would indicate!
Setlist:Woman in a Bar
Don't Look Back
Cut Me Down (LC mentioned how he'd like it if he had "colored(!) men singing backup" -- a la Lou Reed)
Pay for It
Lady Came From Baltimore/Reason to Believe (Tim Hardin medley) (LC talked about being in the Navy and hoping to quit heroin, which he never did -- T.H. story, I'm guessing)
Music in a Foreign Language
Rattle Snakes
Like Lovers Do
Butterfly ("the second saddest song I ever wrote")
Why I Love Country & Western Music ("the saddest song I ever wrote")
NYC Sunshine
Late Night, Early Town
Patience
No More Love Songs
I'm Gone
Everysong
Undressed
The Young Idealists
My Bag (LC called it a Johnny Cash tune, but it's not)
Encore:
Lost Weekend
1 comment:
whats "every song"??
LC on 740. set; Woman in a Bar. Dont look back. cut me down [LC mentioned 'coloured men singing backup!!]. pay for it. tim hardin medley: reason to believe/lady came from baltimore. [lc told story about being in the navy & hoping to quit heroin. said he never did. thats tim hardins story obvs]. music in a foreign language. rattle snakes. like lovers do. butterfly [the 2nd saddest song I ever wrote]. why i love country & western music [the saddest song I ever wrote]. nyc sunshine. latenight early town [every detail is true]. patience [!]. no more love songs. how wrong can you be? undressed. the young idealists. my bag [johnny cash but its not]. // lost weekend.
also anecdote about bars in western massachusetts. strange folks, who like the red sox but more than that they hate the yankees. they REALLY hate the yankees. Im going to get my ass kicked]. off 9 pm
lloyd played an excellent show saturday. he had to be off by 9 pm for lee hazelwood tribute, so he played I guess his current recent set, he's really sharp with the solo acoustic now, still acts a bit nervous but plays everything really nice & I found the show totally satisfying, every song was good
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