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André Paine's rating
, Cold in the country
By
André Paine
2 Oct 2006
With his combative approach to audiences and critics, a Ryan Adams gig should involve some drama. But the pin-up boy of alt-country was curiously subdued for the end of his UK tour at Shepherds Bush.
Playing with his band The Cardinals, it all got a bit honky-tonk from the off with their opening song A Kiss Before I Go. It's from Jacksonville City Nights, one of three albums released in 2005 by the prolific Adams, but the retro country sound lacked the power and urgency of his earlier work.
Adams found fame as a New York-based singer; one song named after the city had a video featuring the Twin Towers that was filmed four days before they were destroyed. But judging by his latest country tunes, it seems he's now looking to his home of North Carolina for inspiration.
Adams was better when he turned to the Cold Roses album from last year and the song Magnolia Mountain. Immediately, the occasion became more intimate thanks to his plaintive vocal and the woozy sound of a pedal steel guitar (an instrument that's played on a stand like a keyboard).
It still lacked the sense of fun and manic energy you associate with Adams, though, and the audience tried to provoke an outburst with some shouted remarks. But he appeared lost in his guitar solos for much of the evening, although the acoustic Dear John did sound fantastic - even without Norah Jones who duetted on the album version.
However, there was no airing for his cover of Oasis's Wonderwall or even the bizarre rap tune he's posted on his website. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was that Adams ignored 29, his most personal album from 2005.
Admittedly, there were some typically strange touches, such as the band donning balaclavas and his laudatory speech about British biscuits. Towards the end, he also told one noisy Scot in the audience to shut up, bawling: "I'm f***ing talking!"
With that loss of self-restraint, Adams seemed to relax for the few remaining songs. But despite ending with the wonderfully sprawling I See Monsters, this was still a rather joyless performance.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (9)
I agree. The trouble with the gig was that all the songs were thrashed out with the amp dials at 10. No acoustic sets. No ballads. Nothing of what, to me, Ryan Adams is all about. His (mainly solo) performace at the Apollo in london last February was so much better!
- Robert Metz, UK, 05/10/2006 21:03
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I do have to agree with most of what was said. It was joyless and all a bit flacid, mainly due to the fact that he ignored what in my opinion are his stronger songs. He's never been the greatest editor of his own work, Cold Roses is a case in point. When it's good it's spine-tinglingly so, when it's not it's just a bit dull. So why then go for Easy Plateau and not Let it Ride or the sublime Meadowlake Street in this set? The whole thing plodded along with jams staying well past their welcome and me actually nodding off at points. That said I went Sunday and it was like the flipside. Nightbirds and the aforementioned brace were aired and it was a fantastic evening. A drastic improvement on Saturday's trudge. You have to put the effort in with Mr. Adams and the rewards come, luckily they're just about worth it.
- Richard, London, 04/10/2006 14:42
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You are not a very good writer and its painfully clear you are quite boring as well. How you could call that a "joyless performance" is beyond my comprehension. But as another band once put it, "one man gathers what another man spills." I'd be willing to wager you have to use to the internet to figure out what band that was.
Also, if this is your idea of a good performance: "It still lacked the sense of fun and manic energy you associate with Adams, though, and the audience tried to provoke an outburst with some shouted remarks.", then i want nothing to do with shows you deem to be fun with manic energy. Why would it require an outburst by Adams to make for a good show? Do you realize the hypocrisy in that statement? If you want to be a music journalist, then review the music. Leave the personality attacks to the tabloids.
- J.M., London, 03/10/2006 14:12
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Saw the show. It rocked. Seems like all the blokes who have posted a review wanted to see some cheesy dialogue. If that's what they wanted - then buy his next interview in Rolling Stone or Bender. It was a die-hard fan's show. Cold Roses and Jacksonville City Nights are two of the best works he's done and he stuck to it. He even altered songs that actually sounded great - I See Monsters, while not what I would've picked for the final song was amazing played at that level. As for Mr. Paine - I'm not sure what show he was at - Dear John WASN'T acoustic - it was all electric. That about sums up his review.
- Keith, London, UK, 03/10/2006 12:37
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I agree with both your reporter and the first two reviewers above. Technically Adams and his band were 8/10, but from an entertainment point of view they were nearer 2/10. Fans go to hear the songs they like, they appreciate that not everyone will like all the songs, but for Adams to play all the Alt. Country back catalogue, whilst ignoring the gems from Gold, was out of order. I actually wnted to leave before the end, but decided to hang on for the encore, in case he played something I enjoyed. Guess what? as soon as "I See Monsters" ended the lights went up and that was that. I wouldn't waste my money seeing him again.
- Inglish, London, 03/10/2006 11:52
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Ryan Adams' and Whiskeytown's records are pretty special to me, even taking into account the fact he really should release just one album a year and save the leftover filler for the innevitable boxset.
However, Sunday's gig featured Adams at his self-indulgent, petulant worst. Ignoring his early material and best recent album was just stupid, as was calling the audience "retarded" and "handicapped" from the drummer's stool while playing with the self-regarding and dismal support.
Compared to when I've seen him before, the show was dull, with Adams playing almost under protest and seeming to resent the audience. While his introspection on stage can lead to interesting outcomes, this wasn't the case on Sunday.
If a majority of the songs from Love Is Hell, Rock and Roll, Cold Roses, and Jacksonville City Nights weren't by Ryan Adams, most of the people there wouldn't even be listening to them.
- Stuart, London, 03/10/2006 11:26
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For once I have to agree with the reviewer. Last night's concert was possibly the dullest I've ever been to at Shepherd's Bush. OK, so Ryan Adams is a great singer/songwriter and we shouldn expect him to perform dancing monkey style - but come on, he's produced some great tunes over the past two years especially and last night's charisma-less perforamce left me wondering if he's been dosed up with Prozac and left any semblence of soul and personality back home. While the songs are good, the majority of them came over as the borderline bland country-rock you'd hear in the background at any American highway bar. Sure, when you're with the Cardinals play the more country orientated stuff but surely that doesn't prevent you from bringing the spark that populates your solo material.
Overall a big disappointment.
- Jason, London, UK, 02/10/2006 17:19
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Sadly I agree with your reporter's review.
I'm a big Ryan Adams fan but his Saturday night concert was terrible.
- Bill, London, London, UK, 02/10/2006 16:34
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This was a fabulous gig by a fantastic singer, musician and songwriter. Admittedly, not everybody "gets" Ryan, but for fans like myself this show had everything: great songs and sound, musicianship, charisma, and two hours of songs that still left us wanting more.
The talent of Adams is such that I worry that I'll never see the like of it again - I hold him in the same esteem as I hold early/mid 60's Dylan - another guy that not everybody got! Thankfully there were no shouts of "Judas" at Shepherds Bush - people who know him know that Ryan's never gonna come out and do what you want him to, and that's the joy of the man - he keeps you on your toes and interested.
- Arch, London, UK, 02/10/2006 14:57
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