Lucinda Williams @ Barbican Hall

Described as an 'Intimate Evening With Lucinda Williams' this was anything but. Apart from the good acoustics, The Barbican Hall is not a venue to recomended for anyone of the rock/folk/country etc etc community. It is souless with 1% atmosphere, a cavernous hall. Why oh why was she promoted here? Audience, predominatly middle class and middle aged, including myself, not even sold out, unlike the last two occsions at a packed and very responsive Shephers Bush Empire. She even said after three songs that it was a bit quiet. Wrong venue Lucinda!
However, a strong selection of songs, and a majority that I have not heard live before, tailored to the fact she was accompanied by lead guitarist Doug Pettibone and bassist David Sutton. A good format which allowed space for the songs chosen but could have done with a precussionist (not drummer) in the mode of someone like the late Don Alias had with Joni Mitchell in her golden years to fill and add that little bit extra texture.
Low lights were Drunken Angel when she either got ahead of herself or Pettibone and Sutton were way behind and the new number Something Wicked This Way Comes. (the other new one I Look At The World showing early promise)
Highlights, her voice was on good strong form... Car Wheels... Copenhagen.... Nick Drake's River Man (a surprise)...Blessed and of course Ventura for a number of reasons one being that I will try and drive Ventura in July but also for the fact that Neil Young ('put Neil Young on and turn up the sound') was playing at the very same time five miles away over at the O2. If he turned up his sound, maybe we could hear him.
Did she entertain me? for a fan the glass was half empty.
Late in the day but it occurred to me that her songs were real life vignettes
Managed to get one half decent photo which was not bad as we were in the circle but security at the Barbican was lax as I just walked through with a big camera.

Set list

        Can't Let Go
        Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
        People Talkin'
        Pineola
        Sweet Old World
        Something About What Happens When We Talk
        Ventura
        I Look At the World
        Copenhagen
        I Envy the Wind
        I Lost It
        Drunken Angel
        Something Wicked This Way Comes
        Those Three Days
        Hard Time Killing Floor (Skip James)
        Essence
        Joy
        Honey Bee
        Encore:
        River Man (Nick Drake)
        Blessed
        Get Right With God

7.5/10