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Volume 114, Number 357 - Thursday, November 19, 1998
Lovett teaches Texas history at Mohegan Sun Casino
by John Friedlander
Five songs into his set in a quiet room off the main floor of the Mohegan Sun casino last Friday night, Lyle Lovett stopped time.
Devoting most of his two-hour performance to his new MCA CD "Step Inside This House," Lovett led the crowd down a trail of songwriting history, transporting nearly 1,500 people to a Texas years passed.
With a set filled with works by the heroes of his songwriting youth, Lovett seemed at times to be conducting a class on Texas history, setting the context of the songwriters' lives, and teaching us bits of the history of their native state.
Lovett was alternately serious about the disappearance of old places and ways of life and dryly humorous about the stories some songs told. He pulled frequent laughs out of his audience while hardly cracking a smile himself.
Wit aside, Lovett's musical performance was impressive. Touring with many new players, the ensemble wasn't quite as airtight as on previous tours, but played with all the polish and professionalism one expects from a top drawer act. Seven stringed instrument players (two guitars, Dobro and lap steel guitar, bass violin, cello, fiddle and mandolin) and two percussionists made up the band. With no keyboards or horns, this was an abbreviated version of Lovett 's large band configuration. The predominantly acoustic sound radiated warmth, but little light. Nine stock-still players in dark dress suits and black cowboy boots was not a feast for the eyes, but the power of their music was movement enough.
Halfway through the show, Lovett introduced a surprise guest for the evening, bluegrass vocalist Alison Krauss, who added her pure soprano harmonies to several tunes. Lovett and Krauss also dueted on Krauss's "Bury Me," a lovely gospel tune given a strong bluegrass feel by expert mandolin and Dobro solos.
Though he concentrated on songs by his Texas role-models, Lovett also dipped into his own archives to produce crowd-pleasing material. "She's No Lady," "Private Conversation," "North Dakota" (with a jewel-like substitution of electric guitar for the piano intro), "Church" (featuring growling vocals and a rollicking cello solo from John Hagen), and "You're Not From Texas" were planned songs. After repeated insistence from a very disinhibited female fan down front, Lovett launched into a spunky version of her favorite, "She Makes Me Feel Good." The story of Tonto's comeuppance of the Lone Ranger in "If I Had A Boat" seemed particularly fitting, given the setting.
After finishing the show with his new CD's touching title track "Step Inside This House," and a brief encore of the traditional "Texas River Song," it was jarring to step back into the steady din of the Mohegan casino floor. For a brief two hours Lovett had transported us to a Texas gone by, and held us there in the arms of classic songs, reverently played. We all went home winners.
Song list: "Rollin' By," "Bears," "Lungs," "Memphis Midnight/Memphis Morning," "Teach Me About Love," "Lonely in Love," "West Texas Highway," "Ballad of the Snow Leopard and the Tanqueray Cowboy," "Sleepwalking," "More Pretty Girls Than One," "Bury Me," "Flyin Shoes," "If I Had a Boat," "She's No Lady," "Private Conversation," "North Dakota," "Church," "You're Not From Texas," "Texas Trilogy: Daybreak, Train Ride and Bosque County Romance," "She Makes Me Feel Good," "Step Inside This House." Encore "Texas River Song."
Players: Lyle Lovett, acoustic guitars and vocal; Mike Aldridge, Dobro and lap steel guitar; Paul Glasse, mandolin; Viktor Krauss, bass violin; Gene Elders, fiddle; Pat Bergeson, electric guitars; John Hagen, cello; James Gilmer, percussion; Dan Tomlinson, drums; Alison Krauss, guest vocal.
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