Central Washington University’s homecoming week got a musical boost from singer-songwriters Brandi Carlile and Mark Pickerel, each of whom performed lively, spirited sets at the Student Union Ballroom Wednesday night.
Carlile, a 24-year-old singer from Ravensdale, played material from her self-titled debut record, songs from her upcoming sophomore effort as well as a few choice covers of songs by her musical idols.
Carlile and her four-piece band – guitarist Tim Hanseroth and his identical twin brother Phil on bass, drummer Jason Maybell and cellist Josh Newman – started their set of more than 15 songs with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin.'”
Five large video screens and three widescreen plasma televisions made sure everyone in attendance got a view of the action. Two of the screens facing the crowd showed video of the performers. The other screens and televisions displayed colorful images of clouds, rippling water and other bright graphics, creating the feeling of a stadium-caliber rock show in a relatively intimate setting.
Carlile’s voice carried magnificently through the ballroom and the addition of the cellist added depth to her songs including “What Can I Say,” “Follow” and “Fall Apart Again.” The new songs, which carry a more expansive, rock-tinged tone compared to her debut material, were highlights. The crowd got a sneak-peak at Carlile’s new album, produced by T Bone Burnett and set to be released next year, with about a half dozen new songs making the set list.
Carlile also included a rollicking cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” during which she led the crowd in an inspired clap-along. A cover of another country music icon followed when she performed Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.” The one-two punch of country classics was a treat and she served both the Man In Black and the Red Headed Stranger well.
Ellensburg native Mark Pickerel opened with a seven-song set. The former member of Dusty 45s, and Screaming Trees, who also recorded with Kurt Cobain, played solo with an acoustic guitar. During the show he pointed out he was a little under the weather and the effects of a cold were evident in his voice.
Having a cold caused Pickerel’s voice to crack, which at times made him sound like a grown man going through puberty. However, the imperfections in his voice brought character to Pickerel’s story-songs about relationships, having the blues, small-town life and other themes. His deep, smoky vocals compare well with his former Screaming Trees counterpart and Ellensburg native Mark Lanegan.
He closed his set with “Graffiti Girl,” a song about a man who falls in love with the artists of graffiti sprayed on a railroad boxcar.
“Graffiti Girl” features a chugging guitar rhythm that sounds like a railroad engine gathering speed that anchors the song. Before beginning, he thanked CWU’s radio station 88.1 FM for making the song what he called an “Eastern Washington hit.”
The acoustics in the ballroom were outstanding and if CWU decides to rent out the room to bands traveling through the Interstate 90 corridor, it could have a top-rate music facility on its hands. The combination of housing a college radio station and the university’s location could attract plenty of quality artists to town and provide a much-needed quality venue for live music to the city.
Box office numbers shortly before Carlile’s set reported a paid attendance of 224 for the event.
