Bonnie Raitt, American Family Insurance Amphitheater, June 28
Controversy is the last word y'all'd ever associate with James Taylor, simply the historic vocalizer-songwriter took a very pocket-size corporeality of heat 4 years back when he was caught on photographic camera comparing the fans at his final Milwaukee show to wood at an Illinois gig.
He apologized. But honestly, he was right. And honestly, Taylor was very wooden himself that dark.
That certainly wasn't the instance during his two-hour Summerfest testify Th at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. From the beautifully rendered video properties — often reflecting a cinematic scrapbook — to spectacular and engaged renditions of his gems, this show was vastly superior in every mode.
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One reason Taylor may have had a fleck of pep in his step: his opener and practically lifelong friend Bonnie Raitt, whom Taylor introduced himself Thursday, calling her "as generous and gracious a soul that walks this earth." And she came as close to living up to those words equally any person could performing on stage for an hour.
This was one of the first shows Raitt has performed since an undisclosed medical result forced her to cancel the first leg of Taylor's bout. When she said she felt grateful she could nevertheless perform, it clearly wasn't a line. Neither was her praise for friend and Milwaukee music veteran Paul Cebar, who welcomed Raitt as his guest on his WMSE-FM (91.7) evidence. In addition to Cebar, Raitt praised the talent of several Milwaukee musicians, quite high praise from an 11-time Grammy winner.
Across 10 songs, she showed she was worth every accolade and then some, including a smoking blues-rock rendition of Talking Heads' "Burning Downward the Firm" (with Ivan Neville'southward keys throwing a bit of gas on the flames).
And she dedicated a sparsely gorgeous cover of John Prine's "Angel From Montgomery" to women suffering around the globe, including those "separated from their children right now," an apparent reference to the immigration crunch.
And earlier she wrapped up, she slapped on some lipstick as Taylor returned to the phase to jam along to John Hiatt'southward "Matter Called Dear," the friends huddling together, electrical guitars in hand.
Raitt returned the favor during Taylor's encore, sitting by his side for an intimate rendition of "Y'all Can Shut Your Eyes" and paying tribute to Chuck Berry with her own sweet and spicy guitar riffs to "Johnny B. Goode."
Taylor was accompanied by ten other excellent musicians who brought the best out of his material. Andrea Zonn'southward dusty fiddle solo set up the tone for "Country Route" earlier Steve Gadd'south thunderous drums took the tune off-roading. Cuban percussionist Luis Conte quickened the show's pulse with some Latin jazz-infused takes on "Kickoff of May" and "Mexico." Lou Marini, best known from "The Dejection Brothers," supplied sweet sax notes for "Don't Permit Me Be Lone Tonight" and Arnold McCuller'southward soulful falsetto brought a gentle glow to "Shower the People."
They all seemed to really fire up Taylor, who offered jumps and Chuck Berry-fashion phase struts, even an excitable "woo," in addition to his more mellow moments. He rightly lavished the band with praise early in the night — before turning over his acoustic guitar to reveal a note that read "Aid Me" in big messages.
Information technology was i of several funny, and some not-so-funny, bits. Taylor really dropped an F-bomb talking about the crude joke his dad used to make that partially inspired "May." "Handy Man" was accompanied by footage of structure mishaps akin to an "America'due south Funniest Dwelling Videos" montage. And "Steamroller" — which featured keen moments from guitarist Michael Landau, pianist Kevin Hays and trumpet role player Walt Fowler — was most ruined by Taylor's cringe-inducing, bluesman-style vamping. Information technology was similar something you'd meet Michael Scott do on "The Office."
But Taylor was sincere, and engaged, when he needed to be, particularly during a loving comprehend of Carole King'southward "You've Got a Friend." As he sang, he even ad-libbed a few things to say nearly his Milwaukee fans: "Everyone hither at Summerfest is the best."
Well, thank you, James. You're pretty great yourself.
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JAMES TAYLOR'S SET List
1. "Carolina In My Mind"
ii. "Country Road"
iii. "Sunny Skies"
4. "Walking Man"
5. "First of May"
6. "Handy Man"
vii. "Steamroller"
8. "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"
9. "Up on the Roof"
10. "United mexican states"
xi. "Something in the Fashion She Moves"
12. "Sweetness Baby James"
13. "Fire and Rain"
xiv. "Shed a Footling Light"
15. "Your Grin Face"
xvi. "Shower the People"
17. "How Sweet It Is (To Exist Loved By Yous)"
Encore
18. "Johnny B. Goode" (with Bonnie Raitt)
19. "You've Got a Friend"
20. "You Can Close Your Eyes" (with Bonnie Raitt)
More on Summerfest
Read reviews, see photos and more from the Big Gig at jsonline.com/summerfest.
Send us your best Summerfest videos to https://clipcha.mp/eZRQ6.
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Source: https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/festivals/summerfest/2018/06/29/how-sweet-seeing-james-taylor-and-bonnie-raitt-summerfest/744173002/