Lucinda Williams returns to The Pageant

Jason Gonulsen
Special to Metromix

I bought my first Lucinda Williams album, 'Car Wheels on a Gravel Road,' twelve years ago. Wow, that makes me feel old. I remember seeing her from the front row at The Pageant ten years ago with my sister, a show that still ranks as one of the best I've seen in St. Louis. And every time Williams comes to town, I make every effort to see her—because, for me, songwriting and live performances don't get much better. She always brings it.

Williams' songs come from the heart; the words she writes are honest—so completely real that it's hard not to get a little emotional at times. And her new album, 'Blessed,' just might be my favorite of hers since 'World Without Tears.' Songs like "Copenhagen," "I Don't Know How You're Livin'," and the title track bring me back to my favorites off of 'Car Wheels.' They are stories, they are personal and they can only be written by a songwriter like Williams.

Whenever she performs at The Pageant, something she's done several times over the last decade, you know you're in for something special. I don't recount a time where she hasn't remarked at how much she loves the venue and the city of St. Louis, and it's always felt genuine—like she's having the time of her life on The Pageant's stage. For a songwriter who tours constantly, that's saying a lot.

On Wednesday at The Pageant, she'll be playing songs from 'Blessed' and her vast back catalog. I'm sure we'll all get to hear plenty of tunes off of 'Car Wheels,' 'Essence,' 'World Without Tears,' you name it. She always mixes up the setlist perfectly, which is another reason why she's one of my favorite performers—you never know what you're going to get. You just know that it's going to be fantastic. See you Wednesday.