Williams shows Axis crowd essence of blues

The Axis Nightclub is not exactly a Mississippi juke joint, but Grammy award-winning musician Lucinda Williams evoked the spirit of a sweaty night on the bayou last Tuesday to a packed house of hardcore fans.\nCanadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith opened for Williams, warming up the crowd with his laid-back roots rock. Switching between piano crooner and guitar cowboy, Sexsmith showcased a diverse repertoire. Following his hour-long set, the crowd was forced to wait another hour for Williams' appearance onstage. After a crew member lit the dozen candles and incense scattered around the stage, Williams casually sauntered onto the dimly lit Axis stage.\nOpening with "Metal Firecracker" and two other songs from her 1998 album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Williams initially seemed detached from her performance and the crowd, failing to make favorites like "Right in Time" come alive. It wasn't until she pulled out "Blue" from her new record Essence, that she conveyed the passion her songs deserve. The ballad showcased the voice that made her famous -- rich and smoky with a distinctive southern twang.\nFrom there, Williams seemed enthusiastic to be playing in Bloomington, introducing her band and grinning as she individually thanked each member of her road crew. \nRefusing to neglect the tragedies of the past few weeks, Williams added, "I hope our music can take you away from the nightmare that we're living in."\nPossibly in the hopes of transporting her audience from the somber reality of current events, Williams launched into the upbeat "2 Kool 2 Be 4-gotten," which found most of the crowd singing along. The rest of the set borrowed heavily from Car Wheels and Essence, with the exception of a few well-chosen covers. The audience continued to sing along as Williams belted out classics like "Drunken Angel," which she explained was written for her friend, late guitarist Blaze Foley. She compared the song's tragic hero to two other legendary musicians who died too young, Townes Van Zandt and Kurt Cobain. \nThe 90-minute main set concluded with a drawn-out, defiant version of "Joy," which highlighted the blues guitar mastery of bandmate Bo Ramsey. The band seemed to have an unspoken communication as Williams exchanged smiles and solos with the group.\nAfter thanking the audience and disappearing backstage briefly, Williams re-emerged for a heartfelt rendition of her "Concrete & Barbed Wire," which again found the audience singing along with every word. An impromptu cover of Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." was next in line. The band may not have been prepared, but as Williams put it, "If you don't know this song, you're not worth your salt." Her musicians responded to the challenge with zeal, making it seem they'd been playing it for years.\nThe cheers of the crowd prompted a second encore, a cover of the old Howlin' Wolf blues tune "Come To Me, Baby." Shaking her hips and slowly slinking between the microphone and the back of the stage, it was evident that Williams was truly enjoying and savoring the experience. Drawing the song out over multiple solos and refrains, Williams' sultry voice carried the long blues jam and left the crowd ecstatic.