David Wilcox at CSPS

Last night Becky and I experienced a couple of firsts: 1) going to a concert at CSPS in downtown Cedar Rapids, and 2) hearing David Wilcox perform. I’ll take them in that order, but the first will be brief.

CSPS is a pretty cool music venue; an arts gallery and concert stage built into the upper stories of an old warehouse building. The performance area is an intimate setting - no more than 8 or 9 rows of chairs on hand-built risers, right up near the little stage. It’s designed to seat about 150, and wow, it works well. I was thinking how much fun it’d be to get any one of several Square Pegs in there… hmmm… I’ll have to keep that in mind. Anyhow, pretty sweet venue.

Then we got to hear David Wilcox. This was my first experience hearing David, though I did find myself familiar with a few of his songs that have been covered by Billy Heller singing down at Brewed Awakenings. David’s first set was broadcast live on KUNI radio as part of their regular “Live from Studio One” show, which I think rearranged his setlist a bit from what he’d normally do in a concert, shifting most all of his more popular songs up front. Still, he played two great sets of songs, just him and his guitar. And quite a guitar player he is, using lots of open tunings and capos to marvelous effect. His songwriting, though, is what really shines; the phrasing and ideas of songs like Three Brothers and Show the Way just rise above the lyrical skill you usually hear from, well, about anyone. I was very, very impressed.

As I sat through the show I kept trying to decide who Wilcox reminded me of. Vocally he sounds a bit like James Taylor, but without the annoying nasal tone that Taylor has. Heck, Wilcox can really sing. And then when I was just about done being impressed with his voice, breaks out some falsetto on the last song that was just amazing. Visually, put a scruffy beard on him and give him a cane and I’d be reminded of Dr. Greg House. There were times I was reminded of CCM artist Chris Rice, except that Wilcox reaches a level with his songwriting that Rice has never hit. I guess I don’t quite have enough words to say, or, as his one song said, I really can’t tell of the places I’ve been. Sometimes you just have to have been there. Thanks to Nick and Allie for inviting us along for a great night.