REVIEW: Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Show Thrills Crowd at the Sheldon Concert Hall

On a cool and stormy evening (December 12, 2009), Mother Nature may have provided the lightning, but the Blind Boys of Alabama delivered the thunder, captivating the crowd at the Sheldon Concert Hall with an inspirational performance. For 70 years (since 1939) this group has entertained and excited crowds with their unique blend of gospel harmonies and rhythm and blues, and that gift was on display in full force on this occasion.

The band kicked off in rousing fashion, showcasing their tight harmonic blend, the true appeal of this wonderful collective. Songs that swing on CD absolutely rocked in concert, and their tasty arrangements found the groove consistently. Highlights for me included reworkings of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" and Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready", but a pairing of the chord progression of "House of the Rising Sun" with the lyrics and melody of "Amazing Grace", was simply sublime.

A selection of Christmas tunes brought forth beautiful takes on "Go Tell it on the Mountain" and "Silent Night". Ben Moore's sweet, soulful voice graced a lovely version of "White Christmas", and "I Pray at Christmas" featured a blistering vocal by Bishop Billy Bowers. Jimmy Carter then announced the end of the holiday music, and took the lead as the band launched into the dark vibe of Tom Waits' "Way Down in the Hole". Throughout the evening, spiritual and vocal leader Carter took to the microphone to exalt the crowd, crack wise, and remark on how far this humble, but five-time Grammy-winning, group had come.

The rhythm section was exceptional throughout, with blind drummer Eric (Ricky) McKinnie maintaining a rock solid foundation, alongside fluid-fingered bassist Tracy Pierce. Guitarist Joey Williams peeled off an endless array of soulful licks on his Fender Stratocaster as well, and all three contributed terrific vocals to the mix.

Rousing extended jams on tunes like "Free at Last" brought the night to a close, and the audience was worked into an absolute frenzy as Carter was led into the aisles to get the crowd pumped up during the final number. In an intimate and immediate venue like the Sheldon Concert Hall, you can really feel the entire house rock during moments like this; an effect that gets completely lost in the huge, impersonal barns that most acts play these days.

I felt like I was attending an electrified revival meeting, and I loved every minute of it. The Blind Boys of Alabama will probably amass even more awards as they continue to please audiences around the world with their joyous sounds.

The next show on the schedule is the Sheldon Chorale, with a program titled "Yuletide Reflections", this Monday, December 14, 2009.