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REVIEW: Tom Waits
Published: 6/27/2008 11:59 AM
Last Modified: 6/27/2008 11:59 AM

Watch the slideshow HERE .

By Jennifer Chancellor
World Scene Writer

It was a carnival-like revival of the surreal on the historic Brady Theater stage on Wednesday night at the Brady Theater, and Tom Waits was its swarthy-voiced ringleader.

The storied singer and spoken-word performer maneuvered between piano, guitar and maracas, and his band belted out tunes on clarinet, bass clarinet, doghouse bass, drums, keyboards, hand drums and more.

For this show, however, Waits’ trademark granulated voice was the ultimate instrument, from rumbling growls to falsettos and even beatboxing.

During “Rain Dogs,” he pulled his leg up and arms out, into a crane position and clapped his hands.

As he raven-cawed out the lyrics, “We sail tonight for Singapore,” the vivid blue, white, red and yellow spotlights blinked and burned against the crushed red velvet curtains behind him.

The near-capacity audience was set adrift into Waits’ intricate aural hallucination.

In between songs, he’d croak out salty monologues about the sound of corn growing to how sensitive eels are to alcohol.

Several times, he even gently shushed the amorous crowd, which often erupted into yells and chants for their favorite songs while he segued through his set — after all, it was Waits’ first time to perform in Tulsa. Ever.

It was also his first performance in the Sooner state since 1974, when he opened for Frank Zappa in Oklahoma City.
As if drunkenly running from a hell hound on his heels, he staggered into “Goin’ Out West,” claiming he had a devil on a leash.

Throughout the set, fog roiled forth in bursts as he stomped his feet on the stage. Sweat streaked his cheeks like tears and saturated his three-piece gray suit.He never faltered.

The two-plus hour set was as eclectic as his decades-long career, as he barked out poetry to tunes like “Lucinda,” “November,” “Black Market Baby,” “Innocent When You Dream,” “Cemetery Polka,” “Come on Up to the House,” “Rain Dogs” and “Lie to Me.”

During the encore, he donned a mirrored bowler hat and spun like a disco ball.

“So put a candle in the window and a kiss upon his lips,” he sang along to his encore tune “Time.”

“I made a golden promise, that we would never part. I gave my love a locket, and then I broke her heart.”

“As the dish outside the window fills with rain / Just like a stranger with the weeds in your heart / And pay the fiddler off till I come back again.”

Here’s a set list, submitted by fan Lisa Mackey of Tulsa:
Lucinda
Way Down In The Hole
Falling Down
All The World Is Green
November
Rain Dogs
Fannin Street
Trampled Rose
Black Market Baby
Anywhere I Lay My Head
Lie To Me
Invitation To The Blues
Lucky Day
Innocent When You Dream
Hoist That Rag
Get Behind The Mule
Jesus Gonna Be Here
Shore Leave
Goin’ Out West
Cemetery Polka
Come On Up To The House
Encore:
Make It Rain
Eyeball Kid
Time

Reader Comments

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true believer (5 years ago)

Way Down in the Hole
Fannin Street

true believer (5 years ago)

Way Down in the Hole
Fannin Street

Jennifer Chancellor (5 years ago)

PS,

These photos are NOT for sale, re: the contract we signed in order to have access to this show.

Sorry.
-- jennifer chancellor

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Barrelhouse Beat

Barrelhouse: A colloquialism describing the low saloons at the turn of the century (19th) that served whiskey straight out of the barrel. It's also a reference to the type of music played in those venues. Ex: Barrelhouse music.

Beat: The time or timing. Ex: The band played with a solid beat. Also used as a term describing a reporters specific area of expertise. Ex: The music beat.

About me: I'm Okie born and raised, and have lived all over the state: Oklahoma City, Enid, Moore, Norman, Edmond and Tulsa. I am a music geek, writer, graphic designer and amateur photographer and videographer who's followed the Tulsa and regional music scene since I moved to Green Country more than 10 years ago. I've been enmeshed in Tulsa's varied and vibrant musical night life, what some of us affectionately call a modernized throwback to the Barrelhouse scene, since that time. I fell in love with it. I fell hard.

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Archive

Past Articles By Jennifer Chancellor

2/17/2013		Tulsan Johnny Polygon a rapper who delights in hometown crowd
2/15/2013		The Who brings nostalgia, ingenuity to BOK Center
2/15/2013		Lady Gaga tour is canceled
2/15/2013		Audio Adrenaline concert moves to April 7
2/14/2013		The Who brings 'other' rock opera to Tulsa's BOK Center
2/14/2013		Okies nominated for several top ACM awards
2/14/2013		Epic moments of rock 'n' roll history in Tulsa
2/14/2013		The Who talks about 'Quadrophenia' rock opera ahead of BOK show Thursday
2/14/2013		Shawnee songstress Samantha Crain to play Tulsa CD release show Friday
2/14/2013		Rick Springfield to play River Spirit Event Center on Saturday
2/14/2013		Local music roundup: Vaudvillian sideshows? Nerd nights? Live music? Parties? Yes, yes, yes and yes.
2/14/2013		Eli Young band coming to Brady Theater for first time

Jennifer Chancellor's Blog Archive:

2/2013	1/2013	12/2012	11/2012	10/2012	9/2012
8/2012	7/2012	6/2012	5/2012	4/2012	3/2012
2/2012	1/2012	12/2011	11/2011	10/2011	9/2011
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8/2009	7/2009	6/2009	5/2009	4/2009	3/2009
2/2009	1/2009	12/2008	11/2008	10/2008	9/2008
8/2008	7/2008	6/2008	5/2008	4/2008	3/2008
2/2008	1/2008	12/2007	11/2007	10/2007	9/2007

Jennifer Chancellor
BarrelhouseBeat

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