Shakey Graves Revisits the Past with Power and Poetry at the Civic Theatre in New Orleans on April 29
In a city overflowing with music during the “days between” Jazz Fest weekends, it takes a rare kind of show to command attention. But on Tuesday night at the Civic Theatre, Shakey Graves did just that, delivering a heartfelt, electric performance in celebration of the 10th anniversary of his breakout album And The War Came.
Alejandro Rose-Garcia, the man behind the Shakey Graves moniker, emerged with a full band, bathed in a soft amber glow, armed with his signature suitcase kick drum and hollow-body guitar. From the first notes of “Only Son,” it was clear this wasn’t going to be a greatest-hits victory lap. This was a reexamination of the album that helped shape a career. The material, which fused fingerpicked folk, dusty blues, and raucous garage rock, has aged remarkably well, and in this live setting, it gained new dimensions.
“Dearly Departed,” his popular duet with Esmé Patterson, arrived early in the set and delivered on all fronts. The female harmony, handled ably by bandmate, and wife Stephanie Hunt, captured the track’s eerie charm without mimicking the original. The crowd sang along with full-throated abandon. Hunt’s evocative vocals bring a complementary presence that expands Shakey Graves’ palette. When Hunt joins forces with Rose-Garcia, the dynamic shifts from a folk/blues act to a more textured, collaboration. Her harmonies give the vocals a fuller, more resonant feel.
Graves’ banter between songs was part stand-up, part soul-searching. He riffed on tour stories, early-career anxiety, and playing songs in front of his wife that are written about former lovers. Graves and Hunt also jested about bringing their child on tour, and suggested she was at the bar waiting for her parents.
It was the deeper cuts from And The War Came that truly defined the night. “Big Time Nashville Star” throbbed with sardonic swagger, while “Hard Wired” rang out like a confession, fragile and brave. Throughout the night his guitar work was as nimble as ever, sliding between dusty blues licks and soft fingerpicking with ease, performing with theatrical flair, at times throwing himself into the music like a man exorcising demons. Yet he also knew when to pull back, letting quiet ballads like “Family and Genus” create moments of introspection that rippled through the theatre. While the focus was rightly on And The War Came, Graves featured additional material. Highlights included “Roll The Bones”, a cover of Neal Young’s “Unknown Legend”, and “Ready or Not”.
In a city teeming with music during Jazz Fest, this concert could have been lost in the noise. Instead, it stood out as something rare: a deep dive into a formative album, performed with both reverence and reinvention. Shakey Graves didn’t just play And The War Came — he revisited it with the wisdom of a decade.
Shakey Graves will be touring Canada and the United States throughout the spring and summer. Dates can be found on his website. https://www.shakeygraves.com
Setlist
Only Sun, Dearly Departed, The Perfect Parts, Hard Wired, Family and Genus, Big Time Nashville Star, Pansy Waltz, House of Winston, If Not For You, Call It Heaven, Tomorrow, Word of Mouth, Roll The Bones
Encore
Counting Sheep, Unknown Legend (Neil Young), Ready or Not