Joshua James and Justin Townes Earle at Warehouse Live

Photo Sources here and here

Monday night I went to Warehouse Live to see a concert featuring Joshua James and Justin Townes Earle. The concert drew a small but appreciative audience.

The concert began with an opening set by Lex Land, a young songwriter from Los Angeles. She played a solo acoustic set of some interesting songs. Her set included a few clever pieces using prerecorded samples from a digital loop pedal. Some of the highlights from her set were the songs "Sweet", "Could've Had Me" and "Easy". You can check out more of her music here.

Next up was Justin Townes Earle. Yes, his namesakes include that Townes and that Earle. Those are two very big names to carry as a young and aspiring singer-songwriter. He seems to have a good outlook on it though as referenced by this quote on Townes:

“Anyone who tries to live up to Van Zandt is a fool. I’m honored to carry the name, but if I spent my life trying to live up to it, I’d have a pretty miserable life.” (Source)

and this humorous quote on growing up in the Earle household:

"It's a really hard family to rebel in. I could have become an accountant. Or I could have become a Republican — that would have really pissed him off." (Source)

Justin's music is hard to categorize but it has an Americana/Roots kind of sound that reminds me of early Johnny Cash. He also can produce exquisite ballads in the same vein as his father's. His song "Who Am I To Say" from his latest cd is a standout. Justin performed an energetic set...often stomping the stage floor and cajoling the audience to make some more noise and to get up and dance...to which a few hardy souls complied. He played a number of songs from his new cd as well as his previous recording. Some of the highlights of his set included: "The Good Life", "South Georgia Sugar Babe", "Who Am I To Say", "The Ghost of Virginia", "Desolate Angel's Blues", a cover of Lightnin' Hopkins "Automobile Blues", "I Don't Care", a version of Bo Carter's "You're Biscuits Are Big Enough For Me", "Lone Pine Hill" and "Hard Livin'".

Justin concluded his set by playing two songs written by his godfather Townes Van Zandt (now that's a baptism I can only imagine!). He performed the densely worded "Mr. Gold & Mr. Mudd" and Townes' ode to Wrecks Bell "Rex's Blues". So Justin can now be added to the handful of singers who actually know all (of the many) words to "Mr. Gold and Mr. Mudd". You can sample some of his music here.

Joshua James and his band rounded out the evening. Joshua is another young singer-songwriter, originally from Nebraska, who writes beautiful and soulful songs in the indie-folk style. His music also draws from modern rock influences. Joshua has a soft-spoken, almost whispered, vocal delivery. The set was an interesting mix of quieter, folkier songs as well as some harder-edged tunes on which Joshua and the band allowed themselves to "rock out" a little. Some of the highlights of their set included: "FM Radio", "The New Love Song", "Lovers Without Love", "Winter Storm", "Custom Concern", "and "Soul And The Sea". You can check out more of his music here.