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Music Flows as Famed House Concert Series Celebrates a Milestone in Garden State! A Kweevak.com Rock Report by Rich and Laura Lynch Singer-songwriter extraordinaire Willie Nile was born in Buffalo, New York and moved to Greenwich Village in the 70's thus entrenching himself in the fabled folk rock scene of the region. It was here between the twin banks of Lower Manhattan that Nile absorbed the dynamic tapestry of life around him and honed his craft and punk rock persona. In 1980, Nile released his critically acclaimed self-titled debut album on Arista - drawing immediate comparisons to Dylan and Springsteen. Also during that decade, Willie opened for The Who and continued to create great music through the years.
 Today, he is a well respected independent artist who plays guitar, harmonica and keyboards and his recent appearance in New Jersey on March 2, 2008 marked the 50th concert at Drew Eckmann's Cupsaw Concerts and Willie's sixth overall appearance at the lauded venue. The heralded house was packed and Nile and collaborator Frankie Lee (percussion, harmonica and backing vocals) were warmly received. Nile is very much the rocker, clad in all black with his dark hair punked out. He was armed with a notebook full of former and fresh songs. During the evening, the bountiful Willie mentioned that he has a DVD coming out in the summer and enough new songs for two CDs; one will be released in 2008 and the other in 2009. Nile is still edgy, poetic and prolific. The new material was well crafted and colorful with a compelling current running through the music. Similarities to his past work and artistic growth are seen in these new songs that Willie seems anxious and able to release. Nile started his set with an old song that he has not played in a long time but recently discovered that it's still fun to play. 'Dear Lord' strummed out on a baby guitar was full of sound and the sorrow of being down and out. Lee's gentle brush strokes on his single drum kept the pace steady but subdued. 'Run' gushed on an up-temp guitar groove punctuated by Frankie's snare drum. The song is filled with visual, vivid imagery. Sticking to an up-beat tempo, the duo performed the perceptive 'World Turns Around'. 'Rites of Spring', sung for Roger McGuinn, was a crowd pleaser with its colorful and descriptive narrative. Willie's intelligent lyrics work well in a stripped down environment as the words can flow to the forefront with each instrument direct and distinct. Nile is an engaging performer. He moves to his own muse, sharing stories and snippets about his songs. 'I Got A Girl' was a whimsical wave of girl's names and descriptions with a witty reference to Monica and the White House. The dialogue also included a quip that Frankie Lee should be president. Towards the end of the track and through many of the eighteen songs performed that night, the crowd clapped along to Nile's rhyming and rhythm. 'When One Stands' was another creative highlight of the evening. Willie described the Bob Marley inspired song that melded folk, reggae and spaghetti western by showcasing his humble country picking. 'When One Stands' is creative and Willie was pleased that the audience sang along, commenting that "you sing beautifully". Interesting instrumentation is also part of Nile's compositions and live performance. Switching to the keyboards, Willie played the spirited and slightly sarcastic 'That's Enough For Me' and the snappy 'Good News'. Nile and Lee also performed energetic covers of Buddy Holly's 'Rave on' and The Ramones' 'I Wanna Be Sedated'. The powerful 'Cell Phones Ringing in The Pockets of the Dead' was executed with passion. Frankie was busy nailing down Willie's compelling points on his lone drum. 'On The Road To Calvary' was written in memory of Jeff Buckley and the imaginative track bubbled with imagery accented by Frank's poignant harmonica playing. Willie and Frank's encore included the new 'Falls Like Rain', a pretty as a picture song and the familiar and appropriate 'It's All Over Now' to end the show. Nile's set integrated a comprehensive mix of his classic and contemporary songs, proving that Willie is still a prolific musician and personable live performer. The majority of tracks were up-tempo but the slow, sensitive 'Shoulders' was a fine inclusion. Concerts at Drew's are always an enjoyable experience allowing folks to see musicians in an intimate environment with opportunities to meet the artist. Willie was available after his animated show to chat and sign CDs. If fans are lucky, Nile will be back at Drew's soon for concert number seven!
 Originally Published: 03/05/2008 on Kweevak.com |
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