Gretchen Wilson Concert Review
Aug 31, 2005 16:10:21 GMT -5
Post by jacksonfan on Aug 31, 2005 16:10:21 GMT -5
August 30, 2005
Casino Rama, Orillia - Aug. 29, 2005
By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun
RAMA, Ont. -- Country music dynamo Gretchen Wilson gave a sneak peek of songs from her upcoming sophomore album, All Jacked Up, on Sunday night to a sold-out crowd at Casino Rama.
And the excellent news for fans of the self-proclaimed Redneck Woman is that the new tunes -- Skoal Ring, Politically Uncorrect, Full Time Job, Rebel Child, One Bud Wiser, I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today, California Girls (not the Beach Boys cover), Good Morning Heartache (yes, the Billie Holiday song) and the title track -- are as good as if not better than the material from her breakthrough 2004 album, Here For The Party.
The 32-year-old Wilson, backed by a spirited seven-piece band including a bald, earringed and muscular lead guitarist who bore more than a passing resemblance to Mr. Clean, has maintained her earthy sense of humour and raw attitude.
For example, Skoal Ring contains the lyrics: "I don't need no diamond ring, I don't need no bling, bling, I can do without anything, except a man with a skoal ring."
And California Girls is bound to get tongues wagging over Wilson's criticism of "skinny little girls with no meat on their bones," and specifically one omnipresent celebrity.
"Well, that Paris Hilton gets to me, with her big, fake smile and her painted-on tan," she sang to cheers from the crowd.
All Jacked Up, which follows the four-times platinum Here For The Party, is in record stores on Sept. 27.
As for her performing skills, Wilson is, quite simply, a wonder to behold in concert.
Hard to believe, but she made her Toronto-area performing debut on Sunday night, conjuring up everyone from Tanya Tucker to Janis Joplin with a big, ballsy voice and charismatic stage presence.
It says something that she can handle both party-hearty anthems and tear-in-your-beer ballads with equal strength, and without any costume changes or big production tricks. She and her band were dressed in basic black shirts and torn jeans on a stage dominated by her name in big block letters.
Wilson demonstrated expert handling of such rock covers as Heart's Barracuda -- possibly the best song of the night -- Nazareth's Hair Of the Dog, and Led Zeppelin's Black Dog.
Wilson's success with Redneck Woman, for which she won 11 major music awards including a Grammy, struck a major chord with audiences and signalled a major change in country music with a return to more "down home" music.
Even such high profile artists as Faith Hill have toned down their previously glamorous image and slickly produced songs.
Simply put, Wilson is the anti-Shania.
Wilson kicked off Sunday night's show with a rousing version of the title track from Here For The Party. Other highlights included the pedal-steel-and-fiddle-dominant When It Rains, her hometown tribute Pocahontas Proud, the new songs Skoal Ring, Full Time Job, Rebel Child and One Bud Wiser, and her cover of Loretta Lynn's You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man.
She gathered four of her bandmates at the front of the stage to sit on stools and perform a memorable acoustic version of Good Morning Heartache before ending the show with her uber-hit Redneck Woman and the cautionary All Jacked Up.
Wilson, who clearly loves her Jack Daniels, sang, "Don't drive no truck, don't start no stuff, when you're all jacked up."
Copyright © 2005, Canoe Inc.
Casino Rama, Orillia - Aug. 29, 2005
By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun
RAMA, Ont. -- Country music dynamo Gretchen Wilson gave a sneak peek of songs from her upcoming sophomore album, All Jacked Up, on Sunday night to a sold-out crowd at Casino Rama.
And the excellent news for fans of the self-proclaimed Redneck Woman is that the new tunes -- Skoal Ring, Politically Uncorrect, Full Time Job, Rebel Child, One Bud Wiser, I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today, California Girls (not the Beach Boys cover), Good Morning Heartache (yes, the Billie Holiday song) and the title track -- are as good as if not better than the material from her breakthrough 2004 album, Here For The Party.
The 32-year-old Wilson, backed by a spirited seven-piece band including a bald, earringed and muscular lead guitarist who bore more than a passing resemblance to Mr. Clean, has maintained her earthy sense of humour and raw attitude.
For example, Skoal Ring contains the lyrics: "I don't need no diamond ring, I don't need no bling, bling, I can do without anything, except a man with a skoal ring."
And California Girls is bound to get tongues wagging over Wilson's criticism of "skinny little girls with no meat on their bones," and specifically one omnipresent celebrity.
"Well, that Paris Hilton gets to me, with her big, fake smile and her painted-on tan," she sang to cheers from the crowd.
All Jacked Up, which follows the four-times platinum Here For The Party, is in record stores on Sept. 27.
As for her performing skills, Wilson is, quite simply, a wonder to behold in concert.
Hard to believe, but she made her Toronto-area performing debut on Sunday night, conjuring up everyone from Tanya Tucker to Janis Joplin with a big, ballsy voice and charismatic stage presence.
It says something that she can handle both party-hearty anthems and tear-in-your-beer ballads with equal strength, and without any costume changes or big production tricks. She and her band were dressed in basic black shirts and torn jeans on a stage dominated by her name in big block letters.
Wilson demonstrated expert handling of such rock covers as Heart's Barracuda -- possibly the best song of the night -- Nazareth's Hair Of the Dog, and Led Zeppelin's Black Dog.
Wilson's success with Redneck Woman, for which she won 11 major music awards including a Grammy, struck a major chord with audiences and signalled a major change in country music with a return to more "down home" music.
Even such high profile artists as Faith Hill have toned down their previously glamorous image and slickly produced songs.
Simply put, Wilson is the anti-Shania.
Wilson kicked off Sunday night's show with a rousing version of the title track from Here For The Party. Other highlights included the pedal-steel-and-fiddle-dominant When It Rains, her hometown tribute Pocahontas Proud, the new songs Skoal Ring, Full Time Job, Rebel Child and One Bud Wiser, and her cover of Loretta Lynn's You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man.
She gathered four of her bandmates at the front of the stage to sit on stools and perform a memorable acoustic version of Good Morning Heartache before ending the show with her uber-hit Redneck Woman and the cautionary All Jacked Up.
Wilson, who clearly loves her Jack Daniels, sang, "Don't drive no truck, don't start no stuff, when you're all jacked up."
Copyright © 2005, Canoe Inc.
