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For the second time this year,
Butch Walker performed at Mr. Smalls
Theater, a former church on Pittsburgh’s North Side. While he
made a few appearances on keyboards during American Hi-Fi’s
set, the true segue from American Hi-Fi to a full Butch
Walker began with the rocker “Uncomfortably Numb” from his
latest release "Letters".
Walker continued to capture the
audience with numerous ballads and rockers from the Letters
album including crowd favorites like “#1 Summer Jam” and “Mix
Tape.” Winning over new fans with every note, its remarkable
how easily Walker is able to drawn in a crowd with his comical
personality and relentless energy even during the
stripped-down acoustic segments of the set.
While it was disappointing that
what had become a signature a cappella closer was dropped from
his encore, Walker charmed the audience with an intimate
mid-show keyboard medley including surprises like “So this is
Christmas” and “Radio Tokyo”
Selections from Walker’s Left of
Self-Centered album like “Sober” and “Alicia Amnesia” where
well received but few and far between. And with the inclusion
of additional Marvelous 3 favorites like “Every Monday” and
“Cigarette Lighter Love Song” long-time fans were not
disappointed.
As if belting out a Christmas
carol wasn’t enough of a surprise, Walker also threw in the
Styx tune “Come Sail Away,” and wound down the night with a
pounding segment of U2s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” as the
introduction to the Marvie hit “Freak of the Week.”
It is so refreshing to find such a
remarkable singer/songwriter touring these days. From
easy-going ballads like “So at Last” to fist-pounding rockers
like “Lights Out,” it is probably fair to say that unless your
at a Butch Walker show, you will not find new heart-felt,
well-written, well-performed, hard-rocking music elsewhere.
Check out
www.butchwalker.com for a show near you, you won’t regret
it. |
