David Lindley

David Lindley: who can forget his lapsteel licks on Jackson Browne's breakout album Running on Empty. Lindley was a good friend and collaborator of the late LA rocking songwriter, the dark conscience of Echo Park, Warren Zevon--and it shows. He brought 3 Weissenborn style guitars, one was a long-scale with extremely low tuning. He also played an electric bazouki and an amplified oud. David is known as a superb crafter of sound and he came through wonderfully. The Duck Room is the best STL venue I can think of for a performer like Lindley. The crowd, made up of mainly music-nerds (like me), slide aficionados, and Lindley groupies were entertained by his song stories (Zevon's Monkey Wash, Donkey Rinse story was great) as well as his prowess on whatever instrument he picked up. It was intimate, it was entertaining and it was worth both the money and the time. Great evening of entertainment.

I've watched David Lindley perform for over 30 years - the first time was the inaugural El Rayo X show at the now defunct Golden Bear venue in Huntington Beach. The last four shows I"ve attended were solo events- simply Mr. Lindley, his voice and various eclectic acoustic stringed instruments. His repertoire is expansive and I don't believe he's repeated a song in all of the shows I've seen. While I miss the loud, raucous rock 'n' roll side of his electric guitars along with bass and drums, I truly appreciate the intimate setting and sharing that occurs in these acoustic shows. He's not only a talented musician and vocalist, but he's also an entertainer and very personable. The stories between songs bring you into his world and you know he's only human just like you. Very worthwhile.

Never saw David Lindley before, and I had been an admirer for years and years. He's known mostly for his work with Jackson Browne (his guitar runs add real color to Browne's "Running On Empty" album, for one), and he's collaborated with everyone from Ry Cooder to Dolly Parton over the decades. David's a first-rate musician who can seemingly play any stringed instrument, no matter how exotic, and this concert was a prime example of that. He performed on a variety of lap steels, as well as a bouzouki and a Turkish oud. The music was a mixture of blues and traditional folk pieces, and a few contemporary songs by the likes of Warren Zevon and Danny O'Keefe. Lindley's personality really drove the show, and he told stories, my favorite of which was when he used to perform at Disneyland when he was a kid, and how he got to know Walt Disney and his wife. The concert was only nine songs long, but with his effortless riffing and improvisational skills, the show was nearly two hours long. Afterwards, David was happy to come out and talk and sign autographs. I'm elated that my years of waiting to see him paid off with such a great evening.

David Lindley is a master of stringed instruments. Sunday night at The Canyon, he never even played any kind of standard guitar, relying instead on three Weissenborns, a mandocello, and his electric oud. His eclectic 90-minute set ranged from traditional material like Minglewood Blues and Pretty Polly (with lyric changes suggested by Dolly Parton) to the more modern (Warren Zevon's Vast Indifference of Heaven, and Okeefe/Dylan's Well Well Well). Dave is also a fascinating raconteur with oodles of great stories to tell. If you get the chance - go see Dave! You won't be disappointed. I would, however, strongly advise concertgoers to avoid The Canyon if at all possible. It's basically a dive with delusions of grandeur. If you want a guaranteed seat, you have to make dinner reservations and spend at least $25 per person. The food is overpriced and mediocre. If you don't show up by 7pm to claim your seats, they may be given to someone else. If you don't make dinner reservations, you have to stand until the headliner comes on around 9pm when dinner service ends, and then you can sit IF there are any empty chairs left. Wait service is indifferent. My wife ordered the prime rib, only to find out later they were out. No drink prices on the menu, only food, so the one glass of red wine she ordered turned out to cost $11 when the bill arrived at 9pm. This place should embrace its diveness; lose the pretentious mediocre food for a cheeseburgers-and-onion rings type of menu.

He delivered a solid performance using his spellbinding musical mastery, his quasi-political, quasi-irreverent, twinkle-in-his-eye connection to the audience through stories and insights. He is able to bridge time and space through his song choices.

David Lindley is not only a fine musician who plays many different stringed instruments but is an equally fine story teller with a great sense of humor. He played some of his own compositions, an Appalachian folk song ('Pretty Polly') and two tunes by the late Warren Zevon. He took the time to talk with audience members who hung around after the show. We look forward to seeing Mr. Dave when he returns to the Midwest next year!

David Lindley is an incredible stringed instrument player. I went to the concert knowing David's work with Jackson Browne and his albums with the band ElRayo-O X. He was very entertaining. He is an incredible musician and he played 7+ different stringed instruments (and he didn't even touch his famed fiddle). I truly enjoyed the show and would have traveled up to 150 miles the next night to see him again. If you have the chance, you owe it to yourself to catch him before he stops touring.

What a joy to be entertained by a couple of genuine masters. Where were the young people? Audience was too small and mostly fogees like me. Oh well, they don't know what de been missin'. Fine show.

Well done... Excellent musciann... like him as a stray dog and when he runs with a pack.

Went to hear the amazing guitar work, but he never picked up a guitar. Instead, he opened with Copperhead Road played on a Turkish baglama, played some intense acoustic lap slide-guitar, blues tunes on what I think was a cittern, an oud, and a few instruments apparently of his own creation. An incredible player and surprisingly charming.

Not only a great musician but also a great storyteller. The concert definitely exceeded my expectations! Definitely a must see!