Mission Express to Cosmic Charlie’s
By John Fogle
Saturday, February 27
Early Show: Chuck Prophet w/ Six $ Whiskeys
Cosmic Charlie’s, 7 PM, $12. 21+
Chuck Prophet brings his Mission Express to Cosmic Charlie’s on Saturday night for what is being billed as an “early” show. Longtime listeners will know that this qualifies as something of a return gig, since—in its former incarnation as Lynagh’s Music Club—the same site hosted the Chuckster for more than a few sessions in the mid to late 90s. The memory this conjures up for your correspondent is one of Prophet writhing on the floor, propelled by Winston Watson’s massive backbeat, screaming into one of those bullet mics routed through a distorted tube amplifier: “I AM the shore patrol!”
While much of the funky Lynagh’s vibe remains unchanged, the current venue has slapped the stage in a corner, added a good selection of yuppie beers so as to provide a means to take the edge off the mondo-psychedelico décor, and somehow managed to jerk up the storied “plant your feet and they stay planted” Lynagh’s rug.
Prophet should feel right at home in these revamped environs, but his Lexington roots run even deeper. After several aughties shows at the “old” Dame, Prophet is believed to have made his last trip to our fair city in December of 2007 for the recording of Alejandro Escovedo’s “Real Animal” at St. Claire Studio. This album was produced by legendary rawk svengali (“Bang a Gong,” anyone?) Tony Visconti, and Prophet tallied up session credits as well as a co-writing credit for the entire album.
Word has it that Prophet is doing the pick hit from said album, “Always a Friend,” on the current tour. If you delve deep into his blog (www.chuckprophet.com) you will find the following “Real Animal” inspired verbal bouquet: “Lexington provided the bourbon, the bluegrass and the sentimental value. Fact: Lexington was one of the first places either Alejandro or myself could command more than $500.00 outside our hometowns.”
In the same blog entry, Prophet gives some love to local Grateful Dead cover stalwarts, Born Crosseyed, which he, Escoveda, and seemingly the whole “Real Animal” band apparently caught during a break in the sessions at the now defunct Fishtank. Appropriately enough, the current owners of Cosmic Charlie’s ran The Fishtank. (Real old timers will remember that WAYYY back the site of The Fishtank was also the early site of Lynagh’s.)
The forthcoming show should not be chalked up as some sort of nostalgia-fest, however. Prophet and the band are on tour supporting one of the best platters of last year, “Let Freedom Ring,” with its themes of failed imperialism on global (title track) and interpersonal (“You and Me Baby (Holding On)”) levels. Recorded in Mexico City, “just as the bottom was falling out of the wet sack of The American Dream …” (per C.P. in the liners), and seemingly channeling the Rolling Stones’ rhythm section (title track, again) and good time late 60s pop (“Good Time Crowd”), the album is one of Chuck’s finer efforts.
Count on not-so secret weapon and spouse, Stephanie Finch, to provide the strategic girl group vocal sweetening and cheesy Farfisa organ flourishes. (I’m talking gourmet cheese here.) Also look for Prophet to spit out Steve Cropper/Richard Thompson/Tom Verlaine guitar stylings on his $150.00 Japanese Telecaster—but keep a cautious eye on that accelerator pedal.
This gig should be more than just a pit stop on the way to “Mountain Stage” for the Mission Express. Well worth slogging through whatever ice, snow, toxic carpet, and other funk may litter our paths.
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