Wow, what a line up. I had caught Eliza & Mike at the Stingaree Fest last April, but this was a very special evening for sure.  She opened with “The Party’s Over” from the new one and in typical EG humor she said she likes to open gigs on a “happy” note. The new CD is getting rave reviews as a “joyful” recording which is not normal for this ball busting woman for sure.

I’m a child of the 60’s and 70’s and so is she.  Eliza pulls NO punches and its part of the appeal of seeing her live shows. “Clever Disguise”, “Emerald Street” (which she had a “whistling” sing a long that the audience got an “F” for!) and the beautiful “Unsustainable” were sweet highlights.

Tony is an incredible guitar player whom I’m familiar with by playing with Randy Weeks. He sat in on “Rattlesnake Boy” and an absolutely killer “Man of God”,  Eliza’s steaming hot dig at Mr. Bush. She joked that she could not play it anymore after November, but promised more political funnies in the future! To have such talented guitar wizards like TG and Hardwick on the same stage was truly amazing. Never a drop off of killer licks surrounding Eliza’s honey sweet rasp was totally enjoyable.

“The Lights of Sante Fe” and a Duck standard of “Twisted” were also killer highlights.  Eliza is the daughter of legendary songwriter Terry Gilkyson and you could tell on this night she was beaming with pride to have her family in her band. “Beautiful World” is her 16th release.  Amazing woman.  I really dug her last CD, “Paradise Hotel” in 2005 and by the early critical reviews this one will be a smash for her.  Covering gigs like this are what it is all about for this reviewer.  Class act with talent in both humor and music is hard to find these days in your “MP3” world of acts being shoved down our throats.  Here’s hoping Eliza keeps it down to earth, blue collar and honest as can be in the future.  Why change something this sweet and enjoyable?  ……………Until next time, I’m out.