Steve Earle hand long been at the top of the list of must-see artists that have eluded me over the years. For some time yesterday morning it appeared that delayed flights would once again sidetrack my opportunity, but I arrived just at the conclusion of opener and wife Allison Moorer’s set and struggled to find a seat amongst the sold out crowd at the Barrymore Theatre. Settling into my position in the balcony, I sat amongst the attentive and the die-hards as song after song solidified the long-standing and well-deserved praise that Steve Earle has earned through his illustrious career.

I still remember my first introduction to Earle’s music, picking up a copy of Jerusalem on its release date in 2002 on the recommendation of a good friend. Since that date, I’ve collected and immersed myself with his entire catalog, captivating me in ways only a select group of songwriters have ever done before him. Present day, things are as good as they’re ever been for Earle, he released the Grammy award winning Washington Square Serenade late last year and plays a recovering addict on the HBO’s The Wire, which concludes tonight after five seasons and from which Earle ended his set with his rendition of the shows theme song “Way Down In A Hole.” On top of that, and perhaps most beneficial to his musical success of late is his marriage to beautiful and talented Allison Moorer, who appeared during Earle’s set last night for a number of selections, creating staggering harmonies that were just some highlights amongst and evening filled with high points.

For the majority of the performance, Earle graced the stage alone with acoustic guitar, which he occasionally exchanged for a banjo or mandolin to match the mood of each song. The thought of seeing Earle’s set supported by a DJ initially conjured up images of Dylan going electric for the first time, but the backing provided by the DJ really brought to life the tracks from Washington Square Serenade and allowed Earle to differentiate his softer storytelling numbers with more upbeat and rocking numbers throughout his set.

In looming presence of the upcoming election, it was certain that it wouldn’t go unmentioned throughout the evening, but Earle kept the lid on his political beliefs for the most part, choosing instead to preach personal responsibility and the power of music, something Neil Young already gave up on. As I mentioned earlier it would be impossible to narrow down favorite moments for a night like last night. The songs on his latest release and collaborations with Alison still resonate with me as I write this. Pressed to find the pinnacle of the evening I’d turn my attention to the honest assessment Earle provided during the encore by giving glimpse of life on the road, missing childrens birthdays, and reflections on his loving and always supportive father who recently passed away. The evening could have ended then, sending everyone home with wet eyes, but Earle decided to leave us upbeat with an energetic performance of “Copperhead Road.”

Steve Earle has earned my infinite attention as a live performer, meaning I don’t think he could ever play to a point where I find myself looking at my watch expecting/hoping the evening is coming to a close. Judging from the crowd last night, I’m not the only one who shares those feelings. He’s one of the best individual performers I’ve seen in years and can only hope that I have the opportunity to see him live again sooner than later.

Myspace: Steve Earle
Myspace: Allison Moorer
Photo: Karen Williams

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