After performing in Nashville’s Americana Fest in September, Aaron Lee Tasjan took the stage at Municipal Auditorium, opening for Greta van Fleet. He proved that he took the advice of his earlier mentor, Kevin Kenny of Drivin’ and Cryin’ not to be locked into a single genre. He showed up Monday, December 17, ready to rock and roll.
Originally from Ohio, Tasjan reminded the crowd that now he’s “from down the street” and that he was “gonna play some rock and roll.” He opened with “Dangerous Kind” and then introduced his band, Tommy Scifres on bass and Brian Griffin on drums.
“Next I’m going to sing a song about success,” he said, then quipped, “It’s called ‘Success.’” The lyrics seemed suitable for someone making his own way in the music business: “Success ain’t about being better than everyone else. It’s about being better than yourself.”
He moved from guitar to the keyboard for the next two songs, “Little Movies” and “The Rest Is Yet to Come” from Karma for Cheap, his latest CD. The Beatles influence comes through strong on these songs in particular.
He stopped to acknowledge his drummer’s birthday—and noted it was also the birthday of Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Then with a shout, “Party on!” he returned to the guitar for “Heart Slows Down.”
Setting up “Songbird,” Tasjan noted that it was the last song on the newest record from New West, which runs about forty or forty-five minutes long: “Like Neil Young or Beatles’ album. . . . Ours isn’t as good as theirs, but just as long,” he joked. The lyrics were timely for the holiday season as well:
Something feels right
That has never felt right before
Christmas bells are ringing
Here comes the girl next door
Issuing the obligatory “two-song warning,” Tasjan and his band finished with “If Not Now, When?” and “Set You Free,” as he jumped up on the drums and stood on the seat of the keyboard bench.
The crowd, some still damp from waiting outside to see Greta Van Fleet, were right there with him all the way. After all, he’s a Nashvillian, one of their own.
http://aaronleetasjan.com
