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As way of a disclaimer, I was not very familiar with any of the artists performing at City Winery on Wednesday June 12, 2019. I say this simply to indicate the perspective from which I writing this review. As I was asked to write a review of J.D. and the Straight Shot - so that part of my review is longer.
Background: This was the final stop on the first leg of the tour which was sponsored by the SiriusXM station The Coffee House - featuring Matt Hartke, J.D. and the Straight Shot, and Matt Costa. The Coffee House is a station that plays singer-songwriters and acoustic versions of popular songs.
I think that is enough with disclaimers and background. My review begins after the jump.
Matt Hartke
Singer-songwriter Matt Hartke opened the show with a solo acoustic set. He is based in New York, and this was his first time in Nashville. Hartke's singer-songwriter career is relatively new, but he has had much success writing songs for other people - interestingly mostly in the EDM world. Most famously perhaps songs he co-wrote for Avicii (the late EDM producer and musician).
Hartke performed a new song "American Dream" which he had written for Avicii which never got recorded due to the untimely death of the EDM artist. Hartke adapted the song to be a folk song. It provided an interesting window into the connections between seeming unconnected styles of music.
Hartke used pedal effects to add layers of sound to his set. His set included his most recent release "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)" which is a cover of a My Morning Jacket, his first single "Gold" (which was the most spun song on The Coffee House in 2017), and a song he co-wrote with EDM artist Sterling Fox (Baby Fuzz) - who has also recorded a version of the song - in more of an EDM style.
J.D. and the Straight Shot
New York based singer-songwriter Jim Dolan (J.D.) fronted a band (The Straight Shot) who were all Nashville players. The band performed songs from their new album, The Great Divide, some older songs, and a couple of well-placed covers.
The band was fantastic, and it is no wonder. The combined credits of the musicians is impressive. Guitarist/guitarist/producer Marc Copely has worked with B.B. King and Rosanne Cash. Upright bassist/banjoist Byron House has worked with everyone from Robert Plant to Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton). Violinist/fiddler/vocalist Erin Slaver has worked with Martina McBride and Rod Stewart). Drummer/percussionist Shawn Pelton has played with Sheryl Crow, Levon Helm, and in the Saturday Night Live band. Guitarist/vocalist Carolyn Dawn Johnson has played with Miranda Lambert and Martina McBride. Point being the band's chops and experience are beyond reproach.
All of that experience would explain the quality of the music and the professionalism of their sound. Those aspects, though important, are not what makes J.D. and the Straight Shot work as a band, or what makes their show so entertaining and fun. It is the elusive but undeniable quality of chemistry that provides that extra spark. From the song introductions it is clear that many of the songs are group efforts - even if they are written by one or two specific songwriters. It is also clear that these seasoned professionals are having a blast doing what they love and doing it as a band.
The set opened with the title track from their latest album, "The Great Divide". It was a great start for their set because it provided an opportunity to experience the combines sound of the band.
The diversity of the band's sound was introduced via the next song, a song about pirates written by violinist Erin Slaver and her husband called "Dead Men Tell No Tales".
The band played several more songs from the new album: "Bees" (about dishonesty), "Anything But Love" (written from the p.o.v of a genie), "It Must Be Love" (which was written by guitarist Copely - who sang lead on this song), and "Walkin' on a Wire".
The band next performed their first cover song of the night: "Shambala" by Three Dog Night. This choice of a cover served to underscore the heart of the band's sound - modern roots based rock and roll with touch of classic rock sounds. The band included this song on their earlier album Good Luck and Good Night.
The set took a serious turn as Jim Dolan introduced a song which had received significant airplay on The Coffee House - "I Should've Known" is written from personal experience and deals with the #MeToo movement from the perspective of the friends of a perpetrator.
"Invisible" was written by Aiden Dolan - the song of Jim Dolan. The younger Dolan is a big fan of the Beatles and the song has a definite Beatlesque quality to it. Cheekily, the band arranged the song to include a not-so-subtle musical reference to another British band - The Who.
Staying with the Sixties feeling, the band's next song was a cover of The Turtles 1967 hit song, "Happy Together". This song is included on the band's latest album.
"Perdition" from the band's first album Ballyhoo! was featured in a little know Natalie Portman film, Jane Got a Gun.
"Moonlight" from Good Luck and Good Night is about a man who thinks he will never be in love and who talks with a statue of a woman.
"Better Find a Church" from Ballyhoo! was the first band's first song to the played on The Coffee House. The song's uptempo, Gospel-tinged sound was infectious and fun.
The band closed their set with their latest single from The Great Divide and wonderful cover of The Allman Brothers' classic "Jessica" - an instrumental written by Dickey Betts for the band's Brothers and Sisters album in 1973. It was a great set ending song which allowed the talented and tight band to shine.
Matt Costa
California singer-songwriter Matt Costa closed the show with his band. Costa released his debut EP in 2003, and he has found much success in the indie/folk world. He performed several songs from his latest album Santa Rosa Fangs - "Pacific Grove", "Time Tricks", "I Remember It Well", and "Sharon" which he said came from a 15 year old idea.
Costa took to the keyboard and told a touching and humorous story about an encounter he had with the late Mac Rebennack (Dr. John) on a airplane before playing one of Dr. John's signature songs, "Such a Night" - which Costa blended into Mr. Pitiful which is one of Costa's best known songs.
Costa reached back in his catalog to play "Cold December" and "Sweet Rose" from his debut album. He played a new song, which he didn't name, but could be called "Do it Slow".
Overall, it was a fun night of songs and music. The second part of the tour kicks off on July 11 in Philadelphia and wraps up on July 28 in San Diego, California.
I created a short Video Playlist just to highlight some of the music by these artists...
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