Katie’s Beer

I’m embarrassed to say that I am slightly surprised by the growing string on glowing reports on Taylor Hicks’ Summer 2007 concert. Sounds like he threw out what didn’t work and has thrown in that which he knows would work. The results is a series of mostly outdoor concerts that makes me want to catch a show this summer. Too bad the closest he will come to Minneapolis is a three hour drive east or south.

I have to admit this leaner, older-looking, but endlessly energetic performer was a surprise to me. Based on some of the performances on last year’s TV singing competition and on his newly released, self-titled CD, I was expecting a little more lounge lizard.

But this Taylor Hicks hit the stage and jumped into the percussion-driven rock and blues like a prodigal musician returning to his roots.

He sang several songs from his new album, including “Just To Feel That Way,” “The Deal” and “The Maze,” but they didn’t sound anything like they do on the CD.

That’s generally a good thing.

Hicks played the band as if it were a single instrument, standing in the center of the revolving stage, using his hands and his body to bring up the keys while quieting the drums, then bringing everybody back up to fever pitch (96 decibels, as measured by tent equipment).

The band would give Hicks about 20 bars of each song before they crashed in and drowned out most of the rest of the lyrics. That’s too bad, because Hicks has a sweet Alabama voice, and he sounds great — especially when he lets his country sound come through. “American Idol”’s effort to remake him as a balladeer does Hicks a disservice. He’s a kickass country boy who was playing in smoky bars down South long before plucked out of thousands of hopefuls by “American Idol” and becoming leader of The Soul Patrol. Read more…

Gwenn Friss writes for the Cape Cod Times

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