If you haven’t seen Marshall Crenshaw in a while now is a good time to check him out anew. The legendary rock and roll singer songwriter has lost nothing over the years,his album in segments came to an end in December but when he releases it as a complete album (or when you do what I did, make your own Playlist) it fits in with his astounding back catalog, which, by my reckoning, includes no bad albums whatsoever.
But if Crenshaw is consistent on record, he is peaking as a live performance. I wrote this last summer (here): “I started by saying Crenshaw was an inconsistent live performer, but watching this set, decades after first seeing him open for Tom Verlaine at the Ritz on my birthday in 1981 (I was 25!!), maybe I expect too much from one of the greatest songwriters of all times. Towards the end of the evening, Crenshaw played “Better Back Off” and so shall I. A superb set by a national treasure.”
Unfortunately for me, I have plans to see Ed Sheeran when Crenshaw returns to City Winery on Friday, May 28th, 2015, otherwise I am definitely ready for another visitation… Not just the voice of rock and roll, a protean, deep feel voice, but the chops and the songs to back em up. A true giant
. I swear, if I had another kife to live I would be the man’s publicist. No messing around, Crenshaw is one of our greatest songwriters, go see him.
