The last upstairs set of Wednesday night NONCOMM was a pure pleasure: Charley Crockett, whom a rep from KUTX Austin called “a Texas troubadour for real,” brought a six-piece country band to town for one of the most energetic performances I’ve seen at World Café Live.
Crockett has released a stunning ten albums in a career of just six years, including Jukebox Charley just last month, and he pulled original tunes from several different albums in his set – plus a cover of Jerry Reed’s “I Feel for You,” which he cut beautifully on this new record. Backing Crockett’s thick baritone voice, the whole band was slick as a machine, leaving barely a breath between songs, not a moment on stage without music. They played traditionally and with plenty of flare, complete with organ, double bass, fantastic pedal steel, snappy electric guitar licks, tasty percussion, and even tender trumpet on the ballad “I Need Your Love” from the new album. Crockett kept a bright smile on his face all along and kept the room jumping late into the night, finishing with the fiery “Run Horse Run,” his quickest tune of all.
Find photos, an audio archive, and Crockett’s full setlist from Wednesday night below. His US tour supporting Willie Nelson continues this week.