Marshall emerged sporting a dapper straw hat and led his able bodied rhythm section (Diego Voglino on drums and Ben Rubin on bass) through a nineteen song set that was well received by the alert audience at Mexicali Blues Cafe. Crenshaw greeted the crowd and made a point of introducing his band before playing the poignant 'There She Goes'. The trio nailed the sad, steady flow of the song. They picked up the tempo for 'Fantastic Planet' that included a capricious guitar part enhancing Crenshaw's colorful storytelling. Throughout the show Marshall would demonstrate that he is also an accomplished guitarist with short instrumental interludes. Crenshaw does not use a lot of tricks but he is a crisp, clean player with technical skills. In fact, with his effective rhythm section, the instrumental parts of the songs could have gone into extended jams but the focus remained on the lyrical content.

Crenshaw has a subtle, tenor voice that gently moves up and down the scales adding to the evocative evolution of his songs and storytelling. Midway through the set the trio performed a snappy and spirited version of 'Someday, Someway' and a rocking '2541'. Crenshaw and the audience were having fun and as the evening progressed folks were yelling out suggestions. Marshall shared some commentary about his music, interspersed with positive remarks about the crowd and the venue, even mentioning that the food is great.

The band played an animated cover of The Stones '19th 'Nervous Breakdown' before returning to Marshall's material. Many of Crenshaw's song are contrasting, with dark lyrics melding with light instrumentation. His guitar-based rock songs blend the blues, country and pop with lyrics that are perceptive and visual. Crenshaw's set showcased this diversity. 'Crying, Waiting and Hoping' had a great classic yet modern sound, propelled by the rhythm section before coming to a quick end.

"I like this place, Marshall stated before playing 'Mary Anne' and closing the set on a high note with 'Cynical Girl'. Returning for the first of two encores, the crowd was yelling out more song titles. Marshall chose to play 'TV Light', which shined with innovative rhythms and interesting guitar work from Crenshaw. His licks almost had a Byrds like quality. For the second encore, Marshall stated that "we put our minds together, to come up with one more that we all know, its been a beautiful experience," before the trio closed the concert with a Buddy Holly cover.

Listening to Crenshaw reminds fans that his lyrics are just as powerful today as when they were penned. His arrangements are direct yet dynamic. Marshall is well respected as a singer/songwriter but demonstrated jamming potential. The audience at Mexicali was attentive and appreciative of the music and that fact was not lost on Crenshaw who clearly was enjoying himself. We really enjoyed the show and I am sure many of Marshall's fans would agree it was a "beautiful experience".

The Marshall Crenshaw Trio!

Originally Published: 06/24/2007 on Kweevak.com