Michelle Shocked Review of 11/13/1996 Graffiti (Pittsburgh, PA) Show

Published December 23, 1996, in Consumable
Reprinted without permission.

By Rob Hillard
Michelle Shocked and the Casualties of Wah

Halfway through an unforgettable three hour performance, Michelle Shocked
looked at the ceiling and said, "Ya know, I'm gonna wake up tomorrow and
regret having ever opened my mouth."

Humble words from a performer whose combination of words and music had
already taken her admiring audience by the hearts and left them searching
for their souls. A passionate artist with a penchant for preaching,
Michelle spent a cool autumn evening in Pittsburgh spreading strong words
amidst an exciting variety of musical adventures.

Stylishly dressed in black velvet pants and a lavender velvet T-shirt,
Michelle needed no introduction as she strapped on her trademark white
Stratocaster and scratched out the opening riff of "Graffiti Limbo". While
she originally revealed the familiar surroundings of the Graffiti stage as
her inspiration, it soon became clear that it was the "not guilty" verdict
in a heavily publicized local trial that had truly stirred her passion. The
case of a white police officer from suburban Brentwood, one of several
officers accused in the choking death of a black motorist named Jonny
Gammage, closely parallels her musical tribute to a black graffiti artist
named Micheal Stewart, who died of suffocation in the presence of eleven
New York City Transit cops. Michelle made it clear that she wanted to know
how the audience felt about the verdict." Can you imagine what kind of
death it is to die, if the last sight you see is people treating you
unjustly?"

Michelle left the song and the sermon unfinished. Instead she brought out
her five-piece band, the Oakland-based Casualties of Wah, and rolled into a
sizzling trio of torchy lounge numbers that could have melted the ice in a
freshly stirred cocktail. Fiery versions of two new songs, "Innocence
Waits" and "Why Do I Get The Feeling" warmed up the stunned audience.
Keeping the pace, she belted out "Little Billie," which tells the story of
a mother's mournful dance for the death of her son ("She scratched the
coffin with her shoes"). Seasoned fans have learned to expect the
unexpected from Shocked, but this wonderful lounge act caught everyone by
surprise.

The loud cry of Dixieland horns provided a soulful intro to "Poor Boy," and
before we knew it, Michelle and her boys had dragged us out of that greasy
lounge and into the cobblestone streets of her adopted hometown of New
Orleans. Here in the Big Easy, she told the comical tale of an unwelcome
party guest named "Wizard," then shared some words of caution with the
"Clevelands," an amusing label used to identify Bourbon Street tourists.

Transitioning next to a tongue-in-cheek gospel rendition of "Lucky Dog,"
Michelle made it clear that the night was young and we still had a lot of
ground to cover. She brought up her brother and former Uncle Tupelo
sideman, Max Johnston (his acoustic trio, the Pony Stars, opened the show).
Max played fiddle on her vintage hit, "Anchorage," deviating from the
standard waltz to include an unusual polka break. Max stuck around to play
guitar on a rousing rendition of "Come a Long Way" that was one of the
evening's many highlights.

An enormous proponent of audience participation, Michelle used the spirited
emotion of "If Love Was a Train" to get us to join her in an ass-shaking
rendition of the Dirty Dog dance. With everyone still on their feet, she
brought up Max and the Pony Stars and picked through a version of "Prodigal
Daughter" that started out as a square dance, then culminated into a
blazing hoe-down. Things cooled down a bit with the funky rhythm and blues
of "Quality of Mercy," a delectable cut from the Dead Man Walking
soundtrack.

"Look y'all. I'm not trying to impress, I'm trying to commune." With that,
the band took a break as Michelle revisited the sermon she had begun
earlier. With the staggering rhythm of "Graffiti Limbo" as her backdrop,
her passions soared again as she bared her soul. She told how earlier that
day, after the verdict was announced, she had attended the mayor's press
conference, then stopped into a local police station to check the mood. She
recalled a similar incident in her past, living in LA during the Rodney
King trial. Her stories were dotted with lessons of death, religion, and
the paradox of skin color. Throughout the song, she used words to try and
describe her emotions. Then, as she rolled back her head and wailed the
final verse, she let us all feel her pain.

Seeking comfort from her musical companions, she brought back the
Casualties of Wah for another pair of new songs, "Peach Fuzz" and
"Tabloid," then dismissed them once again for a short but powerful solo
segment. Here, Michelle showcased several songs off of "Kind Hearted
Woman," her most recent release on the Private Music label
(www.private-music.com/pm). She started off with "Stillborn" and
"Homestead," two sad, stark tales of a woman dealing with the hardships of
life and death.

"VFD" was the last of only four songs Michelle played from her three
Polygram releases, an era she now seems to be putting behind her. The
recent release of the retrospective Mercury Poise (originally dubbed
Mercury Poisoning by Michelle) marks the final chapter in Michelle's long
battle to be released from her contract with Mercury/Polygram. With the
support of a new label, and her first national release in four years, you
can expect to hear a lot more from Michelle Shocked, possibly as soon as
next spring.

"VFD" was followed by Michelle's sequel to this pyrotechnic tale of a
childhood friend named "Eddie" who liked to start fires in the fields of
East Texas. Wrapping up her solo set with the sad story of a mother losing
a child, "A Child Like Grace" was accompanied by a moving sermon on death
and the importance of life.

For the finale, Michelle brought back her wonderful band to bring us all
forth from the depths of despair." Juicy Lucy" is a rocking R&B number that
allows the whole band to stretch. Michelle retreated to the back of the
stage where she danced in abandon while we listened to each member take a
break:Carl Wheeler Jr. on keyboards, Jamie Brewer on drums, Joel Smith on
bass, Richard Armstrong on Trumpet, and Michael Rinta on trombone. Wrapping
up the three-hour set with the sweet sounds of the 70's, Michelle used "You
Are So Good To Me" song to thank her fans, introduce her fine band, and
then retreat through the club to the exit while the music played on.

Michelle Shocked stretched the boundaries of live entertainment this
evening, bringing impassioned sermons about racism and death on a stage
already crowded with lounge room love songs, Crescent City R&B, and
bluegrass hoedowns. All said, it was an intensely satisfying affair, as
this kind-hearted woman took us all from the deepest despair to the highest
highs in a matter of a few small hours.