Rhett had a restricted time to play, so he went on early, a thoughtful move that reveals his kindness. He proceeded to rock this venue, with great songs from the new record Blame it on Gravity, due to be released next month, and favorites from his solo and Old 97's past. He told us that he had flown in from LA that day, and if this is what jet-lag does to his performing skills, we can only wish for more cross country gigs. He was loose and wonderful (as always), drinking whiskey and joking with the crowd. One of his encore songs was "America the Beautiful" but with the words he had written for his wife, Erica, prior to their marriage. "Oh Erica ..." he sang wryly as she watched from the audience. The amazing thing about Rhett is that he does a grand job on Old 97's tunes despite the absence of his excellent and equally talented bandmates. He fills a room with but one guitar and a wild, but friendly, spirit. Rhett's frenetic version of "American Girl" by Tom Petty was alone worth the price of admission.
India