The Rose Hotel

I almost didn’t go to the concert tonight at the Showcase in Foxboro. It’s a school night, the weather is crappy, and tickets are expensive. I’d only recently discovered Robert Earl Keen and had been impressed by his album Rose Hotel, but I didn’t know the other two acts on the bill, Todd Snider and Bruce Robison. I checked out a few tracks by each of them on YouTube and Lastfm, but didn’t have much time to explore more than that. All in all it just wasn’t worth it. Then I got free tickets, and all I had to do was hang some posters and pass out some stickers. Well, I love live music, so what was I supposed to do? Off I went.

I am glad I did. It was a fantastic show. I’d never been to the Showcase before, but it’s nice venue with good acoustics and even decent food. Given that this was an acoustic show, the way a room conducts sound is important. But ultimately it is all about the performers, and these guys were great.

Robert Earl Keen was on the marquee as the headliner.  Known as a singer/songwriter, he is, indeed, an engaging storyteller, not only in his songs but introducing them. It makes for a good show.  Not to mention the fact that their just really good songs.  When man can stand on a stage with just a spotlight and an acoustic guitar and hold the audience’s attention, he’d better hope that he can check off at least three of the following: Continue reading →