The Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts

Morristown, NJ

October 18, 2008

Review By: Steve

In my 52 years on this planet, I have seen many concerts, but Patty's Morristown NJ show was the best concert I have ever seen.

I drove down alone from Eastern Massachusetts to NJ to see Patty, through parts of southern New England and New York's own little stretch of Appalachia. Gorgeous Autumn scenery. This was a wonderful concert experience, and I learned several things along the way...NY State especially has some breathtaking mountain scenery, Eastern black bears can get really really big and wander very close to toll booths, and it is well worth a 500 plus mile round-trip to see Patty Loveless live in concert.

You may have heard the cliche "you gotta see this artist in concert, they sound even better live"..I have heard this in regard to several very well known artists, but after seeing them, I came away with the conclusion that such hyperbole was somewhat the result of the impact of smoke and mirrors ... don't get me wrong, these artists sounded good and sometimes great, but not better than their studio recordings. Dazzling bells and whistles can give the illusion that a singer sounds even better they actually were...Dance moves, hand shaking, winks and waves, dry ice smoke, background videos and other such stage antics can all contribute to this perception. With Patty it is just the opposite. She really DOES sound even better live in concert. I learned first hand in Morristown that Patty easily matches and often exceeds her amazing studio recordings...To hear Patty Loveless in concert is to experience the phenomena of "seeing, (and hearing) is believing". As amazing as she sounds on her records, there is sometimes a minute and perhaps unconscious residual doubt in the mind that this could be partially the result of studio wizardry. But to see Patty live, and to hear her bring her soulful Appalachian alto to bear on first rate material before one's very eyes and ears, is to become a true, awestruck believer. The magic is all in the heart and the voice of this amazing artist. I just couldn't get over how spot on and deeply moving her singing was. And Patty is the first artist I have ever heard in concert who got the acoustics just right. No gut thumping, ear splitting distortion...just a near perfect amplification that showcased her expressive vocals, loud-enough, pure and clear as a crystal bell.

And I found Patty's performance refreshingly free of the histrionics, and ostentatious vocal gymnastics that some well know divas rely on. I think all too often they attempt to dazzle, and that has it's place I guess, but I really prefer Patty's approach, the way she uses her singing to communicate deep emotion. Her voice serves the essence and the soul of the song, rather than having the song serve her ego. With Patty it is all talent, God given talent, pure and simple. It is truly about the music with Patty Loveless... Country's most authentic voice, pure emotion arising from her warm and empathetic heart, and the very depths of her Appalachian Soul. Patty's voice was effortlessly rich and resonant all through her amazing 20 song set. This is very much an artist who is still on an upward trajectory. A living legend whose voice, (like her heroes Ralph Stanley, and George Jones, ) just keeps getting better with the years.

And Patty's stage presence is confident as one would expect from a seasoned veteran, but also natural and playful, informal and inviting, relaxing, inspiring and energetic all at the same time. Many artists just will not let their audience relax and take in the music..They continually prompt the audience with commands like: "come on!, let me hear ya! on your feet! dance!, clap your hands!... Gets very annoying after a while, but with Patty, she shows her respect for her audience by keeping that stuff to a minimum. Just a little leading with some handclapping, but that was it. And I am SO grateful for that, again, with Patty, it's about the music, and she allowed her audience to fully enjoy it.

One funny moment came when the audience spontaneously scripted in unison at the appropriate break during "Elvis" (before Patty herself could do it) "Come on Patty, get it togeeeether"..Patty laughed and seemed pleased we knew our line. I know of no other artist who so perfectly balances artistic maturity and integrity with commercially viable entertainment appeal. There are some artists who are just as respected by their peers and music historians and critics as Patty is, but many of them can come across as kind of stuffy. And there are plenty of singers who can entertain, but much of their material is musical junkfood. But our Patty feeds us Soul nourishing fare, and serves it up in a very entertaining way, And this is what she did once again in Morristown NJ on Saturday night. I knew Patty could be funny, but it was a delightful surprise to see her sense of humor on full display at this concert.

Patty said she would rather sing than talk, but she talked quite a bit at this concert (and is SO good communicating with her audience), and I loved every minute of it! Even her speaking voice is music to our ears. She introduced several of her songs with brief biographical history, primary source stuff from her early Opry experiences...and even told us a little ghost story. She asked if any of us had been to the Ryman, and told us it was haunted, it had real ghosts, and she loves it,. She said she wanted to spend the night there sometime and commune with the spirits of Patsy Cline and Hank Williams!

I was impressed to see how well she handled hecklers, though most of them were complimentary and good natured. Patty seemed eager to hear every audience comment...one person yelled out "You're real Country Patty" and she replied "I'm real hard-core country!" And that was a theme that repeated itself in Patty's dialogue..."You came to the right place for some real Country music,," kind of thing. When half her band including her amazing opener and keyboad player Marcia discarded their footware, Patty said "come on, we're Country but not THAT Country!" And she teased one of her guitar players about growing a beard..."He thinks it makes him look sophisticated...not with those bare feet it doesn't". I just love her sense of humor.

Richard and others have eloquently recounted the details of Patty's set list in previous reviews...I was impressed she did 20 songs, more than many younger headliners..With the quality AND the quantity that she gives us, Patty more than made it worth our while. (I know that was very important to her, having previously expressed concern understanding for the sacrifices her fans were making to see her in these hard economic times.) And I actually had very similar reactions as Richard to the unfolding of Patty's song sequence. I also got chills by the time Nothing But the Wheel followed You Don't Seem to Miss Me, and felt Crazy Arms was especially great. And Patty's encore, her incredible rendition of Cold Cold Heart moved me to tears, which really caught me by surprise. Just thinking about it, even now...

My only dissapointment was the lack of any Bluegrass/Mountain..But Patty has that Mountain Soul timbre in her voice, and infuses everything she does with it. And the inclusion of so many Sleepless Nights old timey songs was something very very special indeed.

The highlight of the night for me was when Patty had the house lights turned on her audience, and said with the one of the warmest smiles I ever saw, "I just want to see your faces"...it was as though all that light was emanating from Patty's radiant smile...I just couldn't get over it. Basking in the glow of Patty's from-the-heart grin was worth the trip in itself, and is a moment I will never forget. This is an artist who truly loves her fans.

I was pleased to see so many elderly fans in attendance. I wonder how many were drawn to hear the master reinterpret the George Jones and Hank Williams songs they grew up with?

Sorry this is so long, but I want to relive and never forget this incredible experience, and to share it with everyone in a manner that makes you feel like you were there. And I hope everyone in attendance will post their recollections as well, so we can have all the pieces.

At the end, Patty showed her kinship with her amazing band (Richard is SO right about the talent and closeness of this group), sharing the spotlight with them by including all in a collective bow. Patty Loveless is a team player, so sweet and down-to-earth, and in no way a self-obsessed diva.

After this wonderful concert, I am more convinced than ever that Patty Loveless is the best thing to happen to Country music in the past 20 years, bar none...I am not a lawyer or a music historian, but I think I can make a strong case for that assertion, and I cannot sing a note, but it is my intention to sing Patty's praises for the rest of my life.

-Steve