Thompson Evans Square Are Not Detective

Yep, it's been a while. I have no excuses.

Anyway - last week was an interesting one. On Monday night I took The Better Half to see Sara Evans at the Auburn Performing Arts Center. I had no idea that Auburn had a performing arts center and even less of an idea as to why someone of Sara Evans stature would play a gig there. It turns out that the Auburn Performing Arts Center is at Auburn High School. The theater isn't quite as nice as the theater at South Kitsap High School, but I haven't stepped foot in that theater since 1993. For all I know SKHS remodeled the place. Have they? Hmmmm...

So yeah, Sara Evans. When I first heard about the show I thought the radio ad said that the Thompson Twins were opening for Sara. I said to myself, 'Sweet! I hope they play 'We Are Detective' 'cause that song is totally underrated." Yes, well...having the Thompson Twins open for Sara Evans makes less sense than Sara Evans playing a gig at Auburn High School. The Thompson Twins did not open the show, Thompson Square did and they did not play 'We Are Detective'. Who the hell is Thompson Square? They are an adorable husband & wife team of singer/songwriters. Their debut album peaked at #3 on the country charts and the single 'Are You Gonna Kiss Me' hit #1.

Thompson Square played most of the material from their debut album. It was an acoustic set with Keifer Thompson on guitar as the only musical accompaniment. They also tossed in a random cover of Tom Petty's 'I Won't Back Down' that was, of course, dedicated to the troops overseas. What I really liked about Thompson Square is that they haven't been spit-shined to an annoying shimmering gloss like so many other country acts. They were a little rough around the edges and they have managed to maintain their personalities as a couple and as performers. If I ever see them again I'm hoping that they refuse to be put through the Nashville Image Make Over Machine and hold on to that organic quality.

The highlight of Thompson Square's set was two ballads - the first being 'Glass' off of their album, the second being a cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Brilliant Disguise' that was served up with an extra spoonful of poignancy due to Keifer and Shawna Thompson's obvious affection for each other...singing a song about marital distrust may seem an odd choice, but TS nailed it...and Shawna Thompson has a crystal clear and emotive voice. She adds the spark to some of the deeper album cuts that would come across as Open Mic quality without her.

I have two things to say about Sara Evans: She is absolutely stunning to look at live (she cleans up nicely for photo shoots as well), and she is a complete and total professional. A lot of performers would mail in a small gig at a high school theater, but not Sara...she didn't belt out a whole set (I likened the show to that of an MLB pitcher working on a strict pitch count), but she didn't cut corners either. She ran through all of her big hits, including 'Stronger' and 'Suds In The Bucket', and her band was comprised of top notch musicians (when the lead guitarist ripped off one flawless solo after another, Del McCroury's 'Nashville Cats' ran through my head) although the second guitarist looked like an unfrozen Geico caveman. That caveman comment didn't detract from the performance, but it needed to be said. So I said it.

I think the best part about Sara's set was that it felt very spontaneous and intimate. She gave off the impression that she wasn't sure what she agreed to when she boarded the plane in Alabama earlier that morning and arrived in Sea-Tac (via a layover in Houston) 8 hours later. She seemed a little loopy and tired, but like I said, she was nothing but professional...Sara was also engaged with the audience, told some funny personal stories, and appeared to have a good time. Her set was short and sweet, but I don't think anyone left feeling cheated...

...except for the row of very special people that sat behind The Better Half and I. Now, this was about as straightforward a concert review as I have ever written. There was no alcohol poisoning Tom foolery , no Honey Bucket episodes, no near fist fight ballyhoo. Caveman comments aside, I've kept this on target...but I have to say something about the folks behind us. When I say 'very special people', I mean very special people. They tried to sing through the whole show, but no one knew the words...I take that back, one of them knew the word 'stronger' was prominently featured in the song of that word in the title...the problem was that he sang about a beat and a half behind Sara Evans...and this was a small venue, so during quiet moments in a song like 'A Little Bit Stronger' this very off key and LOUD voice would be singing a verse or chorus that already ended. It was...distracting...and when the show ended with no encore I thought there was going to be a very special riot. The aspiring vocalist began rattling off Sara Evans songs that weren't performed and he was upset...so upset that I thought he was going to take a swing at his chaperon. The Better Half and I had to hoof it out of our section before someone got hurt.

The only other incidents that kind of bothered me involved new parents that brought an infant and a toddler to the gig. Both kids unleashed unholy wails of displeasure throughout the show. At one point I thought the sound man was going to ask them to leave...oh, and Jake Locker was in attendance. He got all kinds of applause from the crowd. I was kind of hoping they would ask him to hand the mic to Sara Evans just so I could giggle when he tossed it over her head or sent it skipping across the stage by her feet. That would have been awesome...but not as awesome as it would have been if Thompson Square broke out a cover of 'We Are Detective'. I love that song!