CONCERT REVIEW: TAYLOR HICKS

Above: Taylor Hicks had a bout of dance fever at the Ameristar Casino on Thursday. Most of his crowd, however, chose to sit and watch.

The Soul Patrol is sedentary.

The majority of Taylor Hicks' most passionate fans sat relatively motionless throughout his performance in the Star Pavilion at the Ameristar Casino on Thursday evening.  With the exception of several dozens fans in front who stood and shouted encouragement, most of the approximately 1,200 people in the room behaved as if they were watching television. Only some polite applause demonstrated the entire crowd wasn't completely catatonic.

Clad in his usual sport jacket and untucked shirt, the silver-haired 30-year-old raced through 17 songs in a startlingly brief 75-minute performance.  That was a shame. 

Even though he has a limited amount of recorded material to work with, Hicks is an excellent interpreter.  He brought elevated levels of funk to Traffic's "Medicated Goo" and Elton John's "Take Me To the Pilot." It shouldn't be too difficult for such a true music aficionado like him to toss in a few additional numbers of that stripe.

The deep soul Hicks demonstrated on "The Right Place," the best song on his fine 2006 self-titled album, was among the best performances of the evening.  It gave Hicks a chance to reference Ray Charles, Percy Sledge, Solomon Burke and other primary influences.

One of the evening's few surprising moments was Hicks' interpolation of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In the Wall" into his "Hell of a Day."  Another welcome break from his routine was a brief but spirited take on "Kansas City."  For much of that song, he sang through his harmonica microphone, adding a convincing bluesy effect.

An acoustic reading of his original "The Fall" was the most encouraging indicator of Hicks' long-term career viability.  Both the song and his sensitive reading were powerful.

His performance revealed nothing about Hicks' personality or music that fans of "American Idol" hadn't already seen or didn't already know.  And although his most vocal fans gave him plenty of opportunities to indulge in spontaneous banter, Hicks failed to offer anything but canned stage patter.

While he's genuinely soulful, Hicks is not the reincarnation of Otis Redding.  He's not even in the same league as Gregg Allman or Steve Winwood.  But there's still time. It's important to remember that he won the "Idol" competition in May 2006 -- not even a year ago.  As a relative newcomer to the national stage, Hicks' performance skills should improve.

Until then, he and his expert seven-piece band might be the world's premier lounge act, which is no small thing. Hicks performs again tonight in the  Ameristar Casino. Buy tickets here.

Thursday's setlist: Gonna Move, Give Me Tonight, Hell of a Day, Dream Myself Awake, The Deal, My Friend, Somehow, Soul Thing, Just To Feel That Way, Medicated Goo (Traffic), Heaven Knows, The Maze, The Right Place, The Runaround, Kansas City.

| BIll Brownlee, Special to The Star

Comments

[mrbrown]

You know Taylor makes a better woman then Patti Smith...it's a strange world

[Stephk]

I've heard from those who have attended concerts at casinos and other venues say that the casino crowds tend to be more sedate and shorter. I imagine it has to do with the casinos wanting to get the concert goers to spend their time at the tables.

If you want to see how he does in House of Blues type venues check this video out at the Chicago HOB show. Keb Mo sat in on this number.

http://www.vimeo.com/clip:162647

[Stephk]

"and other venues say that the casino crowds tend to be more sedate and shorter"

The show is shorter, not the people. lol

[smp]

You know, I was part of the several dozen people down front who were on their feet and rockin' .... if you weren't, that was your bad because Taylor and guys gave their all. The concert was fantastic, altho it was too short....but Taylor and the band brought it and rocked the house. Have to admit, the fact that there wasn't much bantering with the fans wasn't that big a deal....I wasn't there to banter with Taylor, I was there to hear the man sing...and that he did...in spades.....

[Florn Roonst]

First of all, the crowds are shorter. It's true. Studies have been done. Also, slightly smaller brains but longer fingers and toes.

I hate to say it, but the show wasn't even so-so. It was truly awful. Taylor Hicks and his band disappointed the crowd and, we can only guess, won't be back to Kansas City any time soon. (Caveat: I didn't actually attend the show nor am I familiar with Dan Hicks' music).

[MJC]

SMP...You say your not familiar with "Dan Hicks music"? Are you kidding me? You don't even know who your talking about? His name is TAYLOR Hicks and he had TWO concerts in Kanas City, what were you smokin?

The fact is, contrary to this "writer's" vague comments, Taylor is a fantastic stage performer, whose musically and vocally gifted and needs no "practise". Sorry to say that male writers seem to be intimated by Taylor, due to the admiration of his female fans and their reaction to him. I would say the writer of this piece fits that mold. Nobody does it better than Taylor Hicks. Neither of you GET IT.

[MJC]

My comments should have been also directed to FLORN something not SMP. Sorry SMP.

[Melanie]

I attended Taylor's concert in KC on Friday and the crowd was very lively. OMG!!that man and his band are awesome live. I really don't understand why critics insist on throwing stupid off the wall jabs at such a wonderful performer. That man is a true musician/performer and singer and runs circles around these so-called industry stars.How much more do you want from this man? My goodness..he gives a 110%+.

[Florn Roonst]

Oh Melanie and MJC, you're just being silly. Silly! I don't want you to like Tayler Hicks any more.

Everyone else is sooo over Tayler Hicks. He's not very good and that concert truly disappointed (though I suppose it's fair to note that I wasn't actually there in person, per se).

The thing with Hanks is that he SEEMS to be giving 110%, but it's actually more like 60-70% tops. He might occasionaly give 80% but most often he's giving in the 40% to 50% range. The American Idols have all learned how to fake that attitude of giving-it-my-all. They've perfected it. And we're the ones suffering.

We all pay our hard-earned money to stand in long lines to sit in cramped lounges in smokey casino bars surrounded by scoundrels and nose-picking KCStar music writers. And for what? To listen to Tayler Hicks play Michael McDonald covers (and forgive me if he doesn't actually play McDonald songs, but he sure looks like he would) while being backed by a band that gives, at most, 75% on any given night? No thank you.

He just can't compare to someone like Phil Collins or even Michael Bolton (the older stuff, of course).

So get wise, Melanie and MJC!

[russell kelly]

I saw tayler in Seattle last year and the show was great. I very much would like to see him back in seattle so I can see another great show.

[sandra]

i lived in kanas,didn't think to much of kanas then& even less now,no taste.

[KC Homesick]

Mr. Brownlee needs to learn how to read a calendar. Hicks won in May of 2006, which is nearly TWO years ago, not "less than a year ago."

[DALE BREWER]

Taylor HICKS IS AS UNIQUE AS THEY COME.hE KEPT idol FANS GLUED TO THEIR SEATS THE SEASON HE WON.LOVE THAT MAN.NO ONE DOES IT LIKE TAYLOR.

[aquaman]

American Idol. Enough said.

[gewlur]

@MJC ~ Are YOU kidding?!?!? It was pretty clear to those with a sense of humor that good ol' "Florn" was "taking the piss," as they say in the UK (translation: messing with you), when he referred to the singer as "Dan Hicks." (I could be wrong ~ Correct me, if that's the case, Mr. Roonst)

And ... It was clear to those who know English grammar that "Neither of you get it" should be "Neither of you GETS it." (Neither [one] of you gets it.")

As far as your adoration of Taylor Hicks is concerned, it's your right to believe whatever you wish. Just try to do that with a sense of humor and better grammar.