Concert Review |
Everybody's got a life story, only nobody tells it in song as eloquently and powerfully as Melissa Etheridge.
And what a story it is � from growing up gay in Kansas with an impossible dream of becoming a rock star, to heading to Los Angeles at 21 and having that rock star dream come true, finding love and family along the room, and surviving cancer to become an inspiration to millions.
For well-nigh three hours Sunday night at the Paramount, she and her four-man band made her story come alive in words and music that were moving, energizing, entertaining, funny and ultimately deep spiritual.
Etheridge has always been a rousing, electrifying, sporty performer with a full-on, arena-rock style as granular and tough as that of any male rocker. But now that push is tempered by hard-won wisdom and a sense of role that aims for null less than changing the world.
The by and large female audience that filled the Paramount was with her all the style, exulting in her wallow. Toward the end of the set, ushers and security could not stop a sudden rush toward the stage by zealous fans, world Health Organization soon filled the aisles and the orchestra cavity. Etheridge's smile seemed to bless the happy lawlessness, which simply added to the show's excitement.
Etheridge's songs have constantly been autobiographical, but that was never quite so apparent until this stream tour. Early in her recording life history, 20 age ago, many of her songs were couched in such a way that you couldn't tell she was singing about loving women.
After she came out in the early '90s, her lyrics became more than straightforward. In the context of the show, they all conform to together as a whole, and her story became clear. But the message was universal. Anyone could relate to, and find meaning in, her search for love and purpose.
Etheridge is touring behind her new album, "The Awakening," which deals with the spiritual wakening she experienced while undergoing chemotherapy.
"I'm one of those people world Health Organization think cancer can be a gift," she explained, introducing her uplifting, inspiring anthem, "I Run for Life," which had the whole hearing up and cheering.
"My God is passion, my God is peace, my God loves you, my God loves me," she sang in "The Kingdom of Heaven," a song from the new album, which brought some in the audience to tears.
She added lyrics supporting Obama to "I Need to Wake Up," her Oscar-winning song from "An Inconvenient Truth."
Her hits, like "Bring Me Some Water," "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window," were more powerful than of all time in the context of her life story, merely the 26-song set (including a two-song encore) showed she has many other songs that are precisely as good.
Her band, peculiarly guitarist Philip Sayce, was first-rate. Fritz Lewak was on drums, Mark Browne on bass and Paul Trudeau on keyboards and guitar.
Patrick MacDonald: 206-464-2312 or pmacdonald@seattletimes.com
More info
