Lucinda Williams at The Concert Hall at Groton Music Center in Massachusetts on May 21
Getting right down to business, she opened with the seminal “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road,” from her historic album, considered by many the finest alt-country album of all time. Backed by a sharp band comprised of Marc Ford and Doug Pettibone trading lead and rhythm guitar, David Sutton on bass and Brad Pemberton on the drum kit, the songs filled the space with the weight of confidence and experience. Her voice, weathered and grainy after years of touring and more recently recovering from a stroke, was solid and unwavering.
This was not a night to revisit prior triumphs. Williams clearly set the agenda, with messaging in most of the songs she covered. From “Bad News Blues” to “The World’s Gone Wrong” to “Low Life,” she made it clear how she feels but left room for one’s own interpretation. Her well-chosen cover of Bob Marley’s “So Much Trouble in the World” lamented today’s state of affairs and Memphis Minnie’s “You Can’t Rule Me” was a romping highlight. Williams has never been interested in slickness, and that remains part of her appeal. Songs unfold naturally, often with the feel of late-night recollections rather than polished performances.
The audience responded less with loud applause than concentrated appreciation, the kind that signals total attention. Groton Hill’s intimate setting amplified that effect. Unlike larger theaters where subtlety can disappear into the rafters, every pause and vocal crack here felt immediate.
Williams also showed flashes of dry humor between songs, acknowledging the audience with genuine warmth. There was resilience in the performance, but not in a self-congratulatory way. She simply carried on doing what she has always done: turning heartbreak, regret, desire, and anger into songs sturdy enough for others to lean on.
By the rousing encore of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” the evening felt almost defiantly timeless. Trends in Americana and alt-country have come and gone, many borrowing heavily from the path Williams helped create. At Groton Hill, she reminded the audience that she remains one of the genre’s most vital voices — not despite the miles traveled, but because of them.
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW: The Sound of Resistance: Lucinda Williams “World’s Gone Wrong”
Setlist
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Can’t Let Go
Bad News Blues
The World’s Gone Wrong
Low Life
Fruits of my Labor
World Without Tears
When the Way Gets Dark
So Much Trouble in the World
You Can’t Rule Me
Freedom Speaks
Pray the Devil Back to Hell
Righteously
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Foolishness
Joy
We’ve Come Too Far to Turn Around
Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues
Rockin’ in the Free World