Ryan Adams is crazy. Crazy like a fox. Known for his onstage tirades, off stage fits, and speedball addiction (crack & heroin combined), R.A. has absolutely earned his reputation. However, don’t let his antics fool you, the man is a borderline musical genius. Through the years, he has continually pumped out great music both as a solo artist and with the bands Whiskytown, and, most recently, The Cardinals (call them “Ryan Adams and the Cardinals” at your own risk…). And, despite his antics, his popularity has surged; spawning hardcore fan sites such as Ryan Adam's Archive and To Be Young.
Although he has produced numerous successful albums, the real heart of his genius is his live performances. Often hit or miss, if you happen to catch R.A. on an “on night” be prepared for top notch must from start to finish. The key for R.A. is variety; he plays masterful acoustic shows, rocking electric shows, and even jammy Grateful Dead-like shows (Ryan played with Phil Lesh on several occasions, see below). But more than that, R.A. often alters his vocals; using different inflections and speeds which produce unique versions of each song. Unfortunately, as with most things, his strength is also his weakness; sometimes, the alterations simply don’t work. However, gauging by his immense following, it appears that, to most, his music substantially outweighs his flaws.
For R.A. newcomers check out these classics:
- Faithless Street (Whiskytown)
- Firecracker
- To Be Young
- Winding Wheel
- Easy Plateau
- Let it Ride
- Peaceful Valley
- Everybody Knows
Ryan recently married singer Mandy Moore and announced that a recent show in Atlanta was his last. I doubt it, but until he makes a comeback, check out these jams:
Although he has produced numerous successful albums, the real heart of his genius is his live performances. Often hit or miss, if you happen to catch R.A. on an “on night” be prepared for top notch must from start to finish. The key for R.A. is variety; he plays masterful acoustic shows, rocking electric shows, and even jammy Grateful Dead-like shows (Ryan played with Phil Lesh on several occasions, see below). But more than that, R.A. often alters his vocals; using different inflections and speeds which produce unique versions of each song. Unfortunately, as with most things, his strength is also his weakness; sometimes, the alterations simply don’t work. However, gauging by his immense following, it appears that, to most, his music substantially outweighs his flaws.
For R.A. newcomers check out these classics:
- Faithless Street (Whiskytown)
- Firecracker
- To Be Young
- Winding Wheel
- Easy Plateau
- Let it Ride
- Peaceful Valley
- Everybody Knows
Ryan recently married singer Mandy Moore and announced that a recent show in Atlanta was his last. I doubt it, but until he makes a comeback, check out these jams:
Somerville Theatre 06-29-2007
An acoustic performance that really shows off R.A.’s guitar prowess. Check out: Let it Ride, Easy Plateau*, Goodnight Rose, and Blue Hotel.
Available for free download here
Catalyst Theatre 07-21-2007
A great electric show with some extended jams and hard-rocking riffs. Check out the jammy versions of What Sin, Cold Roses, Mockingbird*, Peaceful Valley*, and I See Monsters.
Available for free download here
Red Rocks: Phil Lesh and Friends featuring Ryan Adams 07-16-2005
Check out the version of Easy Plateau mixed in with numerous Grateful Dead classics.
Available for free download here
* = Personal favorite live versions of the song.
enjoy,
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He's been clean for over two years. I've been to a lot of shows, some have been better than others but I'd rather see a bad show of his than a great show of anyone else, cause his worst is still pretty amazing.
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