Review by Shawn Perry
Some folks with way too much time on their hands tend to argue about the great live albums of the 70s. Which is understandable because there’s so many of them. There’s Live At Leeds by the Who, At Fillmore East by the Allman Brothers Band, Made In Japan by Deep Purple, and, of course, Frampton Comes Alive, to name but a few. Everyone has a favorite. When it comes to Waiting For Columbus, the double live album Little Feat issued in 1978, there’s not much to argue about. That’s because the recording, pulled from four nights in 1977 when the band played in London, is a sweet slice of perfection. That was more than apparent when the group celebrated the album’s 45th anniversary in Nashville for two nights at the Ryman Auditorium.
Little Feat — keyboardist and founding member Bill Payne, percussionist Sam Clayton (member since 1972), bassist Kenny Grandney (member since 1972), guitarist Fred Tackett (member since 1988), guitarist and vocalist Scott Sharrard (member since 2020), and drummer Tony Leone (member since 2020) — were joined by several special guests in Nashville. Wednesday night, Charlie Starr and Tommy Emmanuel came up on stage for a couple of numbers. Tonight, with it being St Patrick’s Day, felt a little more special. Musically, it’s hard to imagine a concert being more entertaining.
Amy Helm — daughter of Levon Helm, who sang and played drums with The Band — popped up on stage in a radiant green dress. Backed by her three-piece (guitar, bass drums) band, she kicked off the evening with a short set. For a stirring cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” Helm and company were joined by singer, songwriter and guitarist Connor Kennedy, singer Nicki Bluhm and members of the Midnight Ramble band horn section who backed Levon Helm during his renowned Midnight Rambles at his farm in update New York. Helm, Kennedy, Bluhm and the horns would all support Little Feat throughout the night.
Everyone knew Little Feat were revisiting Waiting For Columbus; they just didn’t know how or which way the band and their guests were going to roll the music out — which made it all that much more exciting. The interplay between the core band is enough to keep you on edge and yearning for more. Adding other voices and instruments to the mix only enhanced the experience. The green speckles that dotted the concourse of the Ryman greeted Little Feat as they took their places and the last fluttering notes of Sam and Dave’s “Hold On” echoed to the ceiling. As soon as “Join The Band” settled down, Payne, sporting a yellow and green checkered blazer, lead the ensemble through an unabashed “Fat Man In A Bath Tub.”
Maybe the guitars lack the barking sustain and flange of Lowell George and Paul Barrere, but both Tackett and Sharrard have plenty of chops to keep the jams fluffy and intense. A musician with unparalleled dimension, Tackett doubled on mandolin and trumpet when light and brassiness were called for. Sharrard, who spent nearly 10 years working with Gregg Allman, also took on a fair share of the lead vocals on many of the songs, including “All That You Dream,” “Time Loves A Hero,” “Day Or Night,” and a compelling “Willin’.” Between Tackett and Sharrard, Payne’s subtle touch on the keys often pushed the arrangements into sonic overdrive. All you could do was take cover and hold on for dear life.
When Eric Church was announced as the next guest to join the band, nearly everyone in the audience rose to their feet and aimed their cameras straight at the man. Minutes earlier, the famed Nashville-based singer had just been across the street at the Bridgestone Arena, sitting in with fellow country superstar Morgan Wallen. Now, here he was, an acoustic in his hand, his trademark aviators positioned just right, clearly humbled in the presence of exceptional musicianship, and tasked with singing “Dixie Chicken,” one of Little Feat’s most iconic numbers. It definitely suited his style, as he wrapped his warble around the lyrics — “If you’ll be my Dixie Chicken, I’ll be your Tennessee Lamb.” You can only imagine the collective swoon as Church delivered those lines. Certainly, it explains why there were so many younger fans in attendance. Fortunately, most of them stuck around after Church left.
The night’s second major guest was infamous soul singer Bettye LaVette, who came up for a jazzy journey through Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down,” and then returned to duet with Sam Clayton on a burning rendition of “A Apolitical Blues.” At 76, LaVette can still steam up the windows with her cat-scratchin’ growl. You could tell certain members in the audience were moved to tears by her smooth vibe and cool detachment. Oh, the stories she could tell.
Other highlights included keyboardist JoJo Hermann of Widespread Panic sidling up next to Payne to give him a run across the ivories on “Oh Atlanta” and “Old Folks Boogie.” Jeff Hanna, a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, also showed up for a strum and verse on “Sailin’ Shoes.” You’d have thought they would have closed up shop after a rousing “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now,” but the troupe returned for an encore of “Fool Yourself,” the evening’s only song that doesn’t appear on Waiting For Columbus. Its significance as Fred Tackett’s first song written for Little Feat, 15 years before he became a full member, couldn’t have been lost on the numerous Feat followers proudly wearing their ‘Weed, Whites and Wine” T-shirts. For the rest of us, it was the last round of an incredible stand in Music City.
