Experience Music Project, Seattle, USA
Review by Marty Baggen
For those that have not seen or heard about the EMP facility at the Seattle Center (near the base of the Space Needle)... it is a unique structure, more resembling an aluminum recycling project gone horribly wrong. The Sky Church is one venue inside the complex and offered state of the art sound and lights for Cale.
Assuming that he would be performing solo, I was pleasantly suprised to see he was accompanied by two very talented musicians. Between the two of them, Cale was supported by mandolin, acoustic guitar, steel guitar, and banjo.
The show itself offered a handful of tunes which John introduced as new, and they sounded splendid.
Highlights of the show included a wonderful version of Dancing Undercover, Things You Do in Denver When You're Dead, and the encore of Thoughtless Kind, and of course Hallelujah (which melted the crowd, thanks in part to the beautiful supporting mandolin).
John was light-hearted and talkative. After a false start because of a stubborn-to-tune E string on his guitar, Cale just gave a wry smile, and things got started again. This lead to John quipping later in the show as he moved back to the guitar "let's see if this thing will play in tune". A lady from the audience shot back "you're always in tune John!". Cale calmly replied..."what have you been drinking?".
Wonderful show, wonderful venue all of which can be summed up by the fact that after the final song, several in the audience shouted over the applause "Thank you John!". Cale took note, and humbly bowed in their direction.
It simply doesn't get any better than that.