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David Wilcox
David Wilcox with Beth Nielsen Chapman
November 1, 2002
@ Somerville Theater
 With his wise baritone and giddy cackles, singer, songwriter and subtle
shaman David Wilcox warmed a cool winter evening with the help of fellow
troubadour Beth Nielsen Chapman. Flanked by faithful and talented sideman
Jake Amending on violin and mandolin and John Ragusa on a variety of
horns, flutes and shells, Wilcox and Chapman traded songs and leads, often
falling into each other’s arrangements or agreeing to share harmonic
duties from note one. From the personal and universal layers of "Native
Tongue" to the appropriately wintry "Dark Night of the Soul," Wilcox cut
to the heart of many matters and moods with deftness and grace. Though
many were surprised to see Chapman on stage the entire show (expecting her
to perform as an opener instead of a song-swapper), she more or less
earned her place with a voice that often achieved the strength and clarity
of Judy Collins. And though her guitar proved to be more of a
compositional tool than a means of expression, Chapman used her husky
vocals and deft keyboard work to hit the heights with the rib-shaking "For
All of Us" and the bluesy ballad "Baby Dance." As the author of the
chapped Faith Hill hit "This Kiss" and chunky new Hill single "Free,"
Chapman is undoubtedly a competent professional songwriter. However, that
seemed to be the crux of the difference between her and Wilcox, who
focused more on the story and the feeling than the rhyme and the paycheck.
After pulling Catie Curtis out of the audience for a rendition of "Cross
Over to Me," the pair of 9/11 memorials - Wilcox’s "City of Dreams" and
Chapman’s "There’s a Light" – would have made a great and fitting end for
any concert. And though the concert’s coda was a bit extended, the final
tribute to Joni Mitchell wound up the evening of romance and delight on a
series of up notes.
- Matthew S. Robinson
c. 2002, M. S. Robinson, ARR
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WXRV Presents David Wilcox
April 2, 1999 @ The House of Blues
 In a special listeners-only concert, WXRV brought favorite expatriate
David Wilcox back to his Cambridge home for a special end of workday show.
Though many fans might not have been able to get away from the office in
time to join the party, those who were there were in enough of a party
mood to carry the day.
Combining the sharp pulls and deep thumbs of his bright, beating guitar
with deep-borne, sensitive vocals, Wilcox searched the ether for
continuous inspiration and, aside from a few instances where his warm yawn
became a laryngitic creak, was most often able to find it. From the
humorous highway philosophy of rhythmic road rager ‘Blow ‘em Away” to an
original approach towards “Come On In My Kitchen,” Wilcox used his
endearing story-telling, entrancing string-work, well-placed caesura and
knowing glances to deal with a bevy of human topics, from levity to pain,
want to fulfillment. Taking a series of selections from his latest CD,
Underneath, Wilcox worked through a version of “Hometown” which echoed in
more ways than one, an appropriately stripped “Never Enough” and a titular
encore which, though not as “easy to sing” as Wilcox posited, was well
appreciated by the attentive and energetic audience who did all they could
to bring Wilcox out from under the weather for a second encore. Though he
was unable to comply, it was still a very Good Friday indeed!
- Matthew S. Robinson
© 1999 M. S. Robinson, ARR
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