Concert tripleheader in Abilene: Lovett, Crowell, Eagles fans treated
It was a musical weekend in Abilene, for sure.
Particularly downtown.
Rodney Crowell led off the first of back-to-back shows by Texas-born artists at the Paramount Theatre with a stop on his Word for Word Tour. That's the name of his book that tells the story of his growing up in Texas and journeying to Nashville to become a sought-after songwriters. And the adventures along the way.
Crowell, now 72, sang but also took a seat to read from his book, often prefacing the content with back stories. It was a cozy evening with the singer, as if the audience had come over to his house for a few hours to relax and reminisce.
The next night, another music icon was in town - Lyle Lovett. Gone is the big hair and his large band, though he was flanked by primo musicians on the stage.
He's 65 now but sounded like the Lyle Lovett whose quirky songs won him fans and acclaim. For example, "Pants Is Overrated," a song that includes the men of Scotland and Jesus as only Lovett can do.
Both singers are from Harris County - Lovett from Houston and Crowell from nearby Crosby.
As if those two guys weren't enough, a large crowd turned out two blocks north of the Abilene Philharmonic pops concert that featured the music of the Eagles. The tribute band Hotel California, with the symphony, offered many of the bands biggest hits and a few not currently overplayed on the radio, such as "Wasted Time" and "Victim of Love."
Their rendition of the quiet "Desperado" drew loud applause, as did the far more raucous "Heartache Tonight." But no one left until the finale, "Hotel California," probably the band's signature hit. The tribute band and orchestra did it justice.
Three shows. Two nights. A peaceful, easy feeling all around.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Concert tripleheader in Abilene: Lovett, Crowell, Eagles fans treated
