Sturgill Simpson (September 10, 2016)

Headliner: Sturgill Simpson

Date: September 10, 2016

Venue: Orpheum Theater (Memphis, Tenn.)

The beautiful Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, Tenn. might need to look into repairs today because Sturgill Simpson absolutely blew the roof off of the joint on Saturday night (Sept. 10). 

Simpson has been touted as one of the best Americana artists in the country since releasing his debut album High Top Mountain in 2013, as well as one of the artists tasked with “saving country music,” despite the fact that he honestly doesn’t seem to give a shit and just wants to play music how he wants to play it. 

Simpson’s passion and energy for music has led to him developing a cult following of loyal and exuberant fans who shout his lyrics along with him and shake and dance with great fervor in the aisles and at their seats, while on their feet throughout the entirety of his almost two and a half hour show. The only crowd experience I can compare attending a Sturgill Simpson theatre venue performance too intensity wise is to seeing Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in a packed arena. If you’re not completely into it or a part of the “moment” you’re going to feel completely left out and foreign. 

Simpson opened his show with a cover of Willie Nelson’s “I’d Have to Be Crazy,” which appeared on his debut album. The performance perfectly showed off his one-of-a-kind and fantastic vocals, even though he’d say after the opener that he’d been suffering from a cold lately and apologized to the audience. His voice didn’t sound far off from his recordings, so if that’s what he sounds like when he’s a bit under the weather than good luck to everyone else. 

My favorite Simpson song is “Living the Dream,” off of his Grammy-nominated 2014 album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music,” which he performed second in his set and totally rocked. It appeared to be one of the favorites among many in the sold out audience. 

Simpson is truly unique in that he can sound traditionally country with performances like “Water in a Well,” “Long White Line” and the Lefty Frizzell cover “I Never Go Around Mirrors” that remind fans of throwbacks like Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard while also bringing new and innovative sounds and lyrics to country music like the horn section he added for his latest album, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, released in April.