Went along to this one on spec, not really knowing much about either of the acts beyond reputation; somewhat opportunistically, we sat in the front row and so scored a great spot. First, Chesnutt, seated (in wheelchair), strumming his guitar and singing plaintive americana - pretty good. Williams joined him onstage for the final song of his set, and then after a rather awkward transition and then break, they both returned, with Williams singing and playing either guitar or electric piano (and, in snatches, harmonica) and Chesnutt doing occasional backing vocals and muted percussion. Williams' was the loosest set I've seen for as long as I can remember, long pauses between songs as she decided what to do next, often soliciting audience requests; her singing is idiosyncratic, to say the least, but I felt that there was a musicality to her stuff (if not necessarily a great deal of musicianship in the performance)...one certainly had to work to uncover the songs beneath the little girl vocals and stop-start rhythms and lines, but of course it's precisely (and only) in following that path that they disclose themselves. Anyway, I liked them both, though neither had me in raptures.
(w/ Meribah and Wei)
