Martin's Musings

I told Pyles as the Jamie Cullum show was ending tonight that I should have guaranteed it, and promised to give her her money back if she didn’t enjoy it. That’s how much I love Jamie Cullum, and how strongly I can stand by his live shows. They’re just incredible, and tonight’s show at the Orpheum was no exception. No sense going into too many specifics, but from top to bottom, start to finish, I think this may have been the best Jamie Cullum show I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen him four times. It was another rowdy, fun time. The crowd was into it, despite some folks who just kept getting up to go out. Our seats were great. And the set list was spot-on: Jamie played his good stuff (including “Mind Trick, which was missing from the set list the last time I saw him) and he played some really cool covers really well, particularly Norah Jones’ “Turn Me On” (which, oddly, Jamie dedicated to his father, who was in the audience, because apparently it’s his favorite song) and James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain.” Jamie came into the audience a couple times, and he actually sang a cover of “Nature Boy” entirely in an aisle. Otherwise, “Photograph,” “Frontin’,” and “London Skies” were great, as were “These Are the Days,” the solo version of “All at Sea,” and, of course, my favorite of his songs, “What a Difference a Day Made.” Of course, there are songs I wish he’d played (like “My Yard”), but that’ll happen when I like most everything on his three albums.

Perhaps you don’t know Jamie, despite the fact that I’ve written about him before on this site. Well, for all you who don’t know him — and those who like a little soundtrack with your reading — check out the new widget I’ve added to the blog in the upper right hand column. Just click “play” and you’ll hear one of his songs, likely “Photograph.” And know that as nice as that song is, and as good as his albums are, they don’t compare to how good Jamie is live. As I said, I’ve seen him four times now and I’d see him anytime. I guarantee his shows as some of the best ones out there.

Sure, the show took place at the Opera House, and sure Jamie Cullum is a contemporary jazz-pop singer, but the concert this young Brit gave Thursday night was anything but a subdued affair. The first indication was the fact that Cullum walked on-stage chugging a Full Throttle energy drink. After that, it was the music that did the talking. And sure, it took maybe three songs for Cullum to hit his stride, but once he launched into “Twentysomething,” the two-hour-and-fifteen-minute show was on cruise control.

To single out specific songs as favorite moments would be pointless, although “What a Difference a Day Made,” “Nothing I Do,” “Frontin’,” and “London Skies” were all great, as was a duet with opener Brandi Carlile on “Rocket Man.” Cullum even did a fun medley of hip-hop songs (jazzed-up, of course) that included Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” and Amerie’s “1 Thing.” Perhaps the one obvious omission was “Mind Trick,” one of my favorite tracks off Cullum’s current CD, Catching Tales. (You can hear it at his site on MySpace.com.) I also was disappointed he didn’t play “My Yard.” But the stomping on the piano keys was there, as was Cullum’s ratty appearance, playful banter, and athleticism. And the Opera House’s acoustics made it all sound great. This was my first time in the building, and man, what a great venue.

It’s just a shame that so many people missed so much of the show. I don’t know what was up with the crowd. Every other minute, it seemed, someone (or two people) would get up and go out for a drink, or to the bathroom, not even waiting for the end of a song or an opportune moment. It was the most restless audience I’ve seen in a long time. And given the show’s location, the moving around was more pronounced — and annoying to those of us who were enjoying the show and didn’t ever leave.

Jamie Cullum isn’t a household name yet, and admittedly, his CDs — good as they are — really don’t do justice to how great he is live. But I can’t recommend him highly enough. He deserves repeated play on your CD player (or iPod) if he’s not already programmed in.