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July 25, 2006

Jack Ingram @ The Whisky-A-Go-Go: July 24, 2006

I'd been looking forward to this show from the moment I heard about it - and not just because Jack Ingram could be the most gorgeous man on earth. He's also a wickedly talented performer - and everyone who went into the show that night left raving about what a star Jack Ingram is.

Okay, the doors opened at eight, and the house band went on at nine. Like most house bands, I thought them terribly average, but liked them a lot better at the end of their set, when they gave a plug for the radio show I produce, Altville. Sin City All-Star Travis Howard came on next, putting on a rocking set that included a song he'd written for Miranda Lambert's Kerosene CD, "I Can't Be Bothered." Jack's labelmate Taylor Swift, a very sweet 16-year-old singer-songwriter who put on a worthy effort (and who had boots that envied Emmylou Harris'), but whose stage presence seemed forced. In between acts, three pole dancers - that may be a little harsh - I believe they were introduced as "Cowbellas" - danced badly choreographed routines to songs like Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman." I'm not sure what the point of their being was, if only to irritate the audience that they were being subjected to this nonsense.

It was getting pretty late by the time Jack Ingram started his set at 10:30pm, but his energy was strong enough to give second wind to everyone, including those of us who were seriously wondering how we were going to make it to work by 8am today. Jack kicked his set off with a couple of songs from earlier albums like Hey You and Electric, before throwing in a couple of promising new songs from his next CD, his latest hit "Love You" and of course his #1 record "Wherever You Are," which was introduced with an earnest remembrance of Jack's having listened to Sunday morning 'Countdown' shows on local radio stations and dreaming of the day when maybe his song would make it to the top of the chart. Fortunately, with "Wherever You Are," Jack was able to achieve that dream, and bring forth a little hope that maybe there is hope for top 40 radio after all.

Posted by darlin at July 25, 2006 11:46 AM