David Olney in Paris 02/27

Click here for the second night (02/28)

Well, to be clear, David delivered a great show! And this is a long review!

But let's go back to the beginning of the evening. The show was planned to start at eight. I showed up at quarter to 8 with my wife Joelle, found a couple of friends there and asked the owner if I could meet David. He said he had not arrived yet! Actually David and Rick Martin had flown from Oslo to Amsterdam and driven down to Paris to be stuck in the middle of a traffic jam on account of a football game France vs Germany! But they arrived on time at 5 to 8! Got up from my seat to greet David and he did greet me back, slamming my shoulder as if we were old friends!  I let him do the soundcheck for five minutes and met Rick Martin who's traveling with David and doing the driving. Rick is the owner of Douglas Corner Cafe in Nashville. He said he had literally seen David a hundred times on stage and he was not tired of it.

Before David took the stage we talked together for about 15 minutes, getting to know each other better. Well enough rambling, you want to hear about the show!

David delivered to brilliant sets, starting with If my eyes were blind, then Rose Tattoo, Women across the river. David does not have a set list and Rick confirmed that there are never two identical sets. David plays according to how he feels the audience. Rex's Blues, and a long story about his first marriage before playing Racetrack Blues in memory of the old days. Then came 1917. David said how thrilled he was to play that particular song in Paris. On for a new song, God-Shaped Hole, written after Jean Paul Sartre.  Shivers up and down my spine for a wonderful version of Illegal Cargo. Those among you who have seen David perform know how his guitar picking is soft and accurate on ballads. Played Millionaire, and "for you guys", pointing to my wife and me, "If it wasn't for the wind", four minutes playing just one string! Then he rocked again with "Way I am", saying how he was pleased with the crowd (50 mere persons.). That song has been written for unpleasant crowds but he said he likes it so much that now he also plays it to nice crowds. ("That's not fair.") The set ended with a brand new song, "Fitzgerald's Lament", (Scott talks to Zelda). The song segued into Cole Porter's "Embraceable You" and typifies David's new orientation into more orchestrated songs. From what I heard, there should be more horns on the new album.

David came to our table at the break and took the stage for the second set after 10 minutes.

Little bit of Poison, Titanic and the story about flying above the ocean and watching that movie. Omar's Blues#1, Solid Gone, Lilly of the Valley. Then he turned to my wife and said: "If I screw this one up, it's your fault!" During the intermission I had asked him to play a song by the Stones for Joelle, and Tommy you're right, David's version of "Play with fire" was a great one! Then "Jerusalem Tomorrow", Aretha Franklin's Chain of Fools followed by Deeper Well. Someone shouted "CONTENDER"!!! "Tomorrow, give me some time", he replied before starting a breathtaking version of that song.

The crowd was knocked out! David ended the second set quietly with "You are here", wondering if the Paris metro stations have the same signs as in New York, saying "You are here". David took the stage for two more songs, Roses and Vincent's Blues.

Small crow but heavy applause. Elliott Murphy showed up at the end of the show, he and David were talking together when Joelle and I left. Needless to say I'll be back tomorrow, same place, same time!

Setlists, Paris, Hotel du Nord

***

Are you ready for the second show?

Well it will be shorter as the waitress took the setlist on the table while I was not watching! The show was different from last night. The first set did not go too well, actually, as David had problems with the PA and guitar tunings. He was kinda nervous, stopped playing Waiting here for the cops because the guitar was out of tune, mixed up lyrics on Barrymore remembers.

Started again with If my eyes were blind, then God-shaped hole, Women across the river, Millionaire, Vincent's Blues, Jerusalem Tomorrow, 1917, Barrymore, some more and closed the set with Fitzgerald's Lament. He did not talk much and still got a very positive reaction from the audience.

During the intermission he told me he would use the 12-string guitar he had asked me to bring, because he was nervous and wanted to concentrate on his own instrument. Kind of controlling the situation...

The second set went much better, I mean for him, as the audience, as I wrote was very reactive and quiet when needed. He started with If it wasn't for the wind and really captured the public. Then If I had known I couldn't do it and Bathsheba Blues, with much more talking, Lilly of the Valley, Dillinger, My Wild youth, Rex's Blues, Racetrack Blues (no speech contrary to the previous night). He even debuted a new song, "The Boss don't throw dice", co-written with Janis Ian, which goes to show how good he was feeling! The show ended with Deeper Well.

Encores were quiet, due to the unofficial curfew decided by the venue's owner since the cops showed up after a neighbour called on account of the noise! You won't have a show ending with Twist & Shout at the Hotel du Nord!

David closed with Roses, All the love in the world (as yet unreleased, but not a new one) and You are here.

Of course another great performance and for me the immense pleasure of having spent some time with one of the most brilliant songwriters today.

Thanks for reading through.

Herve, pAris pAl