Vance Gilbert ~ 2019 February 11 ~ Singing Oak House Concert ~ West Harwich, MA
Vance Gilbert accompanying himself on acoustic guitar (and briefly on piano).
Set List
Not sure of a couple of song titles. They may be new songs off of Vance's upcoming album. Song title corrections welcome. Setlist also available at https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/vance-gilbert/2019/singing-oak-house-concerts-harwich-ma-639556cb.html
Goodbye Pluto - Pie and Whiskey - Brunswick County - Trust (What Were You Thinking?) - Zombie Pattycake - Day Before November - Old White Men - For the Good Times {Kris Kristofferson} ... intermission ... Icarus By Night - God Bless Everyone - Unfamiliar Moon - Castles Made of Sand {Jimi Hendrix} - Funny How Time Slips Away {Willie Nelson} - Take Care of the One You Love (might be new song 'Another Great Day Above Ground') - 'Round Midnight {Billie Holiday} - For Evelyne - Space In Between Us (might be new song 'FlyBy') - Cousin Shelly's Stationwagon - Good, Good Man - My Bad ... encore ... King of Rome {Dave Sudbury}
Review
Vance Gilbert brought his powerful voice, expert guitar playing, exceptional song catalog, and wicked sense of humor to Ralph and Gail's modest house concert series tucked away in their home in West Harwich (Cape Cod). I noticed this time that the house really doesn't look all that big from the outside, but there's room for about 60 concertgoers, and every chair was filled with music fans eager to experience the force of nature that is Vance.
He was aware of being the "only chip in the cookie," performing for an entirely white audience. He turned this fact to great humorous use; for instance, after he performed "Day Before November," his powerful a cappella poem about growing up in a racially integrated neighborhood, he imagined an audience member saying they weren't expecting rap! Although Vance sometimes nudges the musical genre line into the jazz world, and sometimes into the old style r'n'b world, he's definitely a folkie, with melodic and engaging songs ranging from ultra serious to very funny. But he's not an angry folkie; there's not a mean bone in this man's DNA.
Vance can do amazing things with his voice. The a cappella encore, "King of Rome," a traditional song about the heroics of a homing pigeon around the time of the Great War, brought a comment from a concert goer comparing him to Paul Robeson. He made his voice sound uncannily like Billie Holiday ("My Bad," "'Round Midnight"), just like Louis Armstrong ("'Round Midnight"), and, for goodness's sake, like a muted trumpet ("'Round Midnight"). These vocal gymnastics brought yelps of delight from the crowd. His sense of humor was another aspect of this thoroughly entertaining live concert. Starting with "Goodbye Pluto," his funny lyrics had attendees giggling with delight. And, of course, his in-between song banter had the audience screaming with laughter. Talking about performing in "Hah-wich," it turned into "friggin' Hah-wich," and then he engaged a person in the front row who might have been a librarian. Vance is clearly a person who likes people, but he's not afraid to tease them in a good natured way. Of course his serious side was also on view with songs drawing from themes of nostalgia, human relationships, and the diversity of the human experience.
The Singing Oak House Concert series has become one of my favorite places to see a show. Audience goers brought a finger food potluck, and there was a really delicious variety of goodies. Look up their website and go see a show there; if you like low-key venues with topnotch folk music, you won't find a better venue on Cape Cod.
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