Lovin’ Live Music: Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Band
A concert review
Let’s have a hand for that young cowboy
And wish him better luck next time
And hope we see him up in Fargo
Or somewhere farther down the line
— Lyle Lovett, Farther Down The Line
There are a few artists that I’ve seen multiple times, and Lyle Lovett is one of the best. This was my fourth time seeing him perform: the first time I saw him was in 2008 and he was touring with Guy Clark, Joe Ely, and John Hiatt. That was a once-in-a-lifetime lineup and I happened to get front row seats because I was co-managing the venue box office. I’ve also seen Lovett twice with the irascible Robert Earl Keen.
Last night at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Cruz, California was the first time I’d seen Lovett backed up by his own band. Often, when you are seeing a favorite musician again or a living legend like Lyle, the artists they bring to the stage with them can be as exciting as the main act itself. This was certainly the case last night as Lovett, backed by incredible talent, delivered a tour-de-force of bluegrass artistry and put a different spin on country classics old and new.
When we arrived at the venue I was delighted to see a suite of strings lined up onstage: fiddle, guitar, mandolin, double bass, and dobro. While I knew it was going to be an acoustic show I…
