Friday, August 26, 2011
Roots Review: Langhorne Slim at Radio Radio
Posted by Micah Ling on Fri, Aug 26, 2011 at 3:24 PM
Aug. 26, Radio Radio
3.5 stars
Summer is still alive for a few more weeks, and people were wearing it well — cute dresses, stylish short-sleeves —at Radio Radio Thursday night. Things began on time, and they moved right along — there was hardly a lull, if even enough time to get a fresh drink between acts.
John Henry & The Engine started the night off, followed by Chad Mills & The Upright Willies, who covered Tom Waits’ “Make it Rain.” Mills had the energy of a locomotive. But, if that’s true, then Langhorne Slim was a jet plane; or, a swarm of jet planes.
Slim was wearing a suit vest, cut-off work pants, a handkerchief — tied cops-n-robbers-style around his neck — and cowboy boots. He’s like a big kid, really, but he could save his life with that voice. There were the usual sound glitches, but Slim played it off like it was only making the night better: “Technical difficulties aside, let’s party.”
And he did—everyone did. He jammed out high-energy versions of “Cut it Down,” “Mary,” “Worries,” and “Diamonds and Gold.” He preached that song: “It’s alright to get a little happy along the way.” Slim comes off as desperate, even on his albums, but at Radio Radio, it may as well have been his last show, and he was pleading for every song.
The place wasn’t packed, but somehow that made it seem like the crowd was in on something that should be kept secret. He prematurely promised, “Alright ladies and gentlemen, this’ll be it, so let’s freak out.” But then he went on to play three more, including “If It’s True,” with half of the crowd on stage.
Indianapolis’ own Rev. Peyton was standing by for the whole show, which suggested that Langhorne Slim is doing something unique enough to demand the attention of everyone. He can cover Leonard Cohen; he can knock his own hat off in every song; he can enter the audience and jump up onto his amp.
This guy certainly must have caused some antics as a child. He’s got kind of a tinny voice when he thanks the crowd for the hundredth time, and you have to realize that he should just never stop singing. He’s wild, for sure, and seemingly unstoppable.
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