(photo: Chris Davis)

Just got back last night from a whirlwind trip to Tulsa to see the great John Hiatt at the Brady Theater. What a great evening and great show! I’ve seen a ton of shows at this venue from Mr. Dylan to Joan Baez to Bon Iver and Ray LaMontagne. It’s got great acoustics.

Unfortunately, it was a very small crowd to see such a great songwriter and interpreter of the muse. However, John Hiatt hit all the notes and played a great set featuring songs from every era of his career including some new ones. I’ve always wanted to catch him live, but never have had the chance until last night.

The usual suspects: “Drive South”, “Tennessee Plates”, “Have a Little Faith in Me”, and “Memphis in the Meantime” were all highlights of the set. But, other more poignant and funny songs including, “Perfectly Good Guitar” and “Crossing Muddy Waters” balanced everything out. New song “I’m in Asheville” was particularly a highly for me, as anytime a master craftsman is working on their art in front of you, it makes you sit up and take notice.

I throw this around a lot, but if you’ve never heard of John Hiatt or haven’t seen him live, do yourself a favor, run don’t walk and get into his music. These times are tough right now. Plenty of political and social upheaval. We need music and art now more than ever. Immerse yourself in it and let it heal your soul.