Rams' Head, Annapolis, MD, May 17, 1999

OK, I am not making these up.

Set 1 (thanks to Linda Cohn for the notes)
Sights and Sounds of London Town
Bathsheba Smiles
Cold Kisses
I Feel So Good
Genesis Hall
Hamlet
If You Don't Want Me (or is it called "I'll Dry My Tears and Move On"?)
Pharaoh
1952 Vincent Black Lightning (6 cycle brands mentioned?)
Keep Your Distance
Meet on the Ledge
Walking the Long Miles Home
Valerie
Ghost of You Walks
Dimming of the Day
(encores...)
I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight
Beat the Retreat

Set 2
Cooksferry Queen
Waltzing's for Dreamers
Bathsheba Smiles
God Loves a Drunk
Turning of the Tide
Smiffy's Glass Eye
Sights and Sounds of London Town
Shoot Out the Lights
1952 Vincent Black Lightning
Uninhabited Man
Don't Sit on My Jimmy Shands
She Twists the Knife Again
How Will I Ever Be Simple Again
Razor Dance
I Misunderstood
(encores...)
Woman or a Man
Walking on a Wire
Two Left Feet


Review, of sorts

I used to work with this guy Karl--the same one who introduced me to RT's music and lived to regret it. Anyway, Karl was a connoisseur of fruit. He brought two pieces of fruit for lunch every day, and I used to love watching him peel it. And he remembered not only which peach variety was best, but also which year was the best season for those peaches. He could reminisce about the D'Anjou pears of 1993, and it was interesting to listen to him, but it wasn't as good as eating the pears yourself. Furthermore, the excellence of the 1993 pears didn't stop him from eating pears in other seasons, whenever they were at their fullest flavor.

I think these RT shows are kind of like that. Whether or not someone commits them to Memorex (licitly or otherwise), it's never the same as being there. Different people can prefer different songs, and over time the frequent attendee can detect nuances in the flavors of each song.

I'm happy to report that, RT-wise, this is a damn good season for peaches, and pears, and gooseberries. As with the solo shows that occur around the time of a new album release, this show featured many songs with a hard-driving sound and brisk, almost staccato arrangements--as if he were used to playing them with a backing band.

The two songs in the second set that were totally new to me--"Cooksferry Queen" and "Uninhabited Man"--were knockouts. Someone--was it Barry Beisiegel?--said afterwards that "Uninhabited Man" was the best RT song he'd heard in ages. I repeated this compliment to Richard afterwards. "Everything tonight was superb," I said. "And I'll be at the show tomorrow night. But no pressure." (He did say "You'll be there tomorrow? I'll try to play some different ones." My God, what's left?)

He really seemed to want to please us, in that first show (which was, after all, his first show in a while), and it was a bit uncomfortable. He seemed to be having trouble with the room, feeling like people weren't really responsive, and his response was to make a number of self-deprecating remarks. It didn't affect his playing at all--he was right on target. But I was surprised that he asked for requests, fairly early on, and seemed willing to consider them. That was when the "Meet on the Ledge" debacle occurred.

I may have accidentally played a part in this...someone at the back yelled out "Meet on the Ledge!" and, forgetting I was within talcum powder-smelling distance of Our Hero, I blurted it out, as a sort of question. RT ducked below the lights and glared at me in mock reproach. But then he played it. He expected a great singalong on the chorus. His performance was strong and true. And then he prompted us to sing.

"MEE--" I began, but I couldn't hear anyone else. I think we all had that reaction at once, because the chorus just died. And he tried to resuscitate it, but it wouldn't work. He finally led us through it with a bunch of indescribable comic flourishes...it was clear it wasn't going to come off. And he went into a rant--you know, one of his "I'm not really mad" rants--about how this was an old song, he'd only sung it three times in concert, he thought that tears would be flowing and people would be fainting, etc. It was just on the edge of not being a particularly pleasant moment. I hope it doesn't keep him from ever trying the song again! I don't know why we all froze up like that.

Anyway, he dried his non-tears and moved on. He had no hesitation about new material, old material, almost any material. After teasing a guy in the audience--I don't remember why--he offered to let the guy pick a song. The guy wanted to hear "The Angels Have Taken My Racehorse Away." RT allowed as how he couldn't do it without a band, and gave him another pick. This time it was "Woods of Darney." The excuse this time was "I don't remember it all." Finally, RT chose one on his own--I think it was "Valerie."

What did he say about the first show, at the beginning of the second? What was the adjective? "Dreadful"? "Dire"? Not true, of course, but he seemed eager to mend fences. The second show was more powerful than the first. How does he build power like that? His playing and singing become fiercer without losing their subtlety. I don't know why he doesn't just keel over. And then he hung around for autographs and such afterwards.

Bimbo alert!!!! There were these little Lewinskys by the stage door, several reams to the wind, and one of them was having the area west of her thong autographed by some guy, apparently failing in a quest to get Thommo to do so. He did pose for a photo with them after some cajoling.

Non-bimbo alert!!!! I got a kiss. I'd say I'd never wash that cheek again, but I don't remember which cheek it was. I know it was nowhere near a thong, thank you very much.

He seemed happy after the show--I think he thinks he did OK. He did more than OK! What an excellent harvest he brought us.

Pam Winters


P.S. I didn't drink, and it was a real hardship. I love the beer at the Ram's Head, and last time I was there I sampled all of their home brews. I'm trying to be good--I've got too much driving and socializing to do over the next couple of days. I'm glad I had Jake Quinn around to rag me about it! Great seeing Jake, Barry, Linda, Steve Garrison, the Fergusons, Gina Thompson, David Baime (come back to the list, Gina and David!)...did I miss anyone?

--He said the new album would be out in August. He never mentioned the title (as Jake pointed out), and when I asked him about it later, he said something like "My audiences don't need those sort of show-biz gimmicks" in a mock, but not Tudor, fashion. Damn! I should have asked him if it would be out for Cropredy.

--He took off his paisley brocade vest (waistcoat) between sets 1 and 2.

--He played 10 seconds of "The Shadow of Your Smile" and a wee bit of "Loch Lomond." His perfunctory rendition of "Dixie" met with alarming acclaim.

--He talked about Dusty Springfield and recommended the Springfields album--"selectively...every third song. Or every tenth song."

--He said we seemed very young. Clearly the lights were in his eyes.

--I think I heard rumors of a fall band tour, but I'm not sure. I was trying to eavesdrop, but I'm not nearly conniving enough to be really good at it.

--He's a very nice man. Very decent.

Pam