Saturday Night Service with Brent Cobb in New York City
It’s been two long years without live music. Lately it’s my fault, but New York’s been tough and so choosing to go out and enjoy the live events that are slowly coming back is kind of like a muscle that needs to be worked out. Glad I finally did it; glad I rode the subway into Manhattan and took in Brent Cobb at City Winery.
Gabe Lee opened the show and blew me away—he’s got a hell of a voice and is really one of the underrated greats of the country scene right now. I picked up his record Honk Tonk Hell and have been spinning it ever since. https://www.gabeleetn.com
Which is kind of ironic, because Brent Cobb followed up by playing his latest southern gospel album And Now, Let’s Turn to Page … from front to back. Southern Gospel classics backed up by his incredible band is not what you expect to be taking in on a Manhattan Saturday night. But there we were surrounded by hands raised to heaven, singin’ praise.
But there was really three acts to the sermon. Following the gospel was a costume change, and a short set of solo acoustic songs by Cobb. At this point, the room came to halt to an arresting version of “The World” where Cobb’s songwriting talent may have been a revelation to some but a reminder to others.
Then the full band came back and maybe sent us all a little south of heaven with “.30-06” and “Let the Rain Come Down.” Faster tempos, louder guitars, and an acknowledgement that we can still have a good time—just gotta know where to find it.
https://www.brentcobbmusic.com