Amongst a packed room full of mostly fawning women, a solo guitarist by the name of Bobby Long took the stage for the early Saturday night show at Mercury Lounge. Most concerts I usually attend are loud enough that you typically don’t hear all the women in the audience conversing back and forth on how much they love the artist. Although maybe at this point I’ve just stopped noticing all together. One couldn’t help but hear it however during Bobby’s solo acoustic set on Saturday night, where the English guitarist filled the room and sensual desires of most in the room.
Local singer-songwriter Matt Sucich loosened up the crowd first. Matt’s own charismatic style of acoustic guitar playing was good enough to headline an early Saturday night on his own, and his time will come, but this was Bobby’s night- just ask any of the women in the room.
The headliner took the stage sporting jeans, boots, a t-shirt, and some carefree hairstyle, typical guitarist right? Blending a mix of folk, Americana, and traditional singer-songwriter, Long takes a mix of easy-going chord progressions, more complex finger picking styles, and throws it together with lyrics of love, disappointment, and great storytelling to make for even better songs.
Bobby Long
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What’s isn’t so typical is his talented way of presenting his solo acoustic material to shine and dance on it’s own with no accompaniment- not an easy task for any performer for an entire set. Long had no trouble doing so while playing a mix of songs from his new album, Ode To Thinking. Early on in the set he treated his guests to the newer material including “Cold Hearted Lover Of Mine,” “Ode To Thinking,” “Treat Me Like A Stranger,” and waltz-like ballad in “The Songs The Kids Sings.”
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Bobby Long
Article: Tom Shackleford
Photos: Lesley Keller
