Marianne Faithfull - Birchmere - September 29 2009

Marianne Faithfull - I really did not have much expectations for this show. Marianne Faithfull gets pretty good critical acclaim as wise survivor of the swinging sixties, but I have read more about her than I actually have listened to her. She has a deep, raspy voice that is actually pretty decent once you get used to it and she does move it around as needed. She looks a bit like Helen Mirren, but the voice and style are a bit more like Marlene Dietrich. She is with a really good band with no real tricks there. She has the drummer, a bassist and guitarist who both switch from electric to acoustic and a keyboardist. The first couple of guitar solos were amazingly loud even though everyone was seated (aside from our singer), it rocked. The songs were mostly covers with wonderfully eclectic choices including Dolly Parton, Tom Waits, Randy Newman, Decemberists, Nekko Case, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Jackson Frank. She asked if anyone knew Jackson Frank. I clapped and two others on the other side of the stage clapped. I actually saw Jackson Frank a few months before he died (at a Wizz Jones show, since Frank had not played one in over 20 years at that point I think). Ms. Faithfull did some of her own songs as well and closed with one she co-wrote with Jagger/Richards, "Sister Morphine", and one they wrote for her, "As Tears go by". She encored with her "filthy song" and said she wouldn't play it at Annapolis, but thought we could handle it. The crowd did and pretty much ate up the whole set. I am convinced, nice job! And the cosmic finish happened when I got to the car and NPR popped on when I started it. The very first two words spoken were "Marianne Faithful".

Quote of the Night: Ms Faithfull had a few, but the one that drew some chuckles and applause went something like "I still regret nothing from those days. You either get over it or you die."