Joan Osborne R&B's the Birchmere

The pattern was established early. Joan Osborne and her incredibly tight 4-piece band had just finished their 1st number, "Qualified," from Osborne's new CD of soul and blues covers Bring It on Home. As soon as the enthusiastic applause from The Birchmere crowd died down, a lone, loud male voice called out "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted."

It was clear from the outset of the show that Osborne was touring to showcase her new CD. She followed up the opening number with 4 consecutive songs from that collection including the rollicking "I Don't Need No Doctor" and the bombastic boogie "Shake Your Hips."

But it was equally apparent that at least one vocal fan also wanted some of her older, popular material, specifically " ... Brokenhearted," Osborne's phenomenal version of the Jimmy Ruffin song which served as a centerpiece for Standing in the Shadows of Love, the documentary of Motown's legendary musicians collectively known as The Funk Brothers. After most of the new songs, the insistent fan continued to plead "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"
Finally, about 3/4 of the way into the 90-minute show, Osborne acknowledged the requester. "I'm  keeping count up here," she said, smiling as she sipped from a large tea mug to smooth her throat.

Osborne's situation is a constant for all performers. How do you keep yourself and your fans happy? You want to play new material to keep your performances vibrant and different. Some fans look forward to this. Many, however, have certain favorites they believe they simply must hear. For the early part of her spring tour at least, it appears that Osborne is going for the new. Prior to the encore portion of the set, she only played 2 of her older songs "Spider Web" and "St. Teresa," both from her best-selling 1995 album Relish. In addition to tunes off the new CD, she also performed 2 as-yet unreleased numbers.

For me, the highlight of the show came at about the midway point. "This is a song I used to play all the time in small clubs and venues when I was first starting out. But then I kind of got away from it. It's a song by Van Morrison," Osborne said, as her long-time keyboard  accompanist Keith Cotton broke into the opening notes of "Tupelo Honey." For about 1/2 the song it was just Osborne and Cotton, but eventually they were rejoined by lead guitar, bass, and drums, each instrument entering seamlessly. 

But if the set was all about new stage performances, the encore was a nod to the past. "Here's one you might know," Osborne said before the band struck the opening of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" The final song was a stripped -down, haunting rendition of Osborne's huge 90s hit (and one of my favorite songs of all-time) "What If God Was One of Us" performed with only Cotton's chords and Osborne's sultry voice. Now I'm not sure about God, but with her outstanding performance tonight, I'm sure glad Joan Osborne is still one of us.

Above is a YouTube video of Cotton and Osborne performing "What If God Was One of Us" last year at The Birchmere. If you are getting this post by email and want to view the video, just go to The Prices Do DC blog website at www.thepriceswrite-dlp.blogspot.com

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
Tonight's Birchmere show marked the 5th time I have seen Joan Osborne in concert. And each show has been remarkably different. I first saw Osborne in the mid 90's when Relish had just been released and "What If God Was One of Us" was beginning to break out. Next up, was her tour as part of The Funk Brothers review. That was followed by her stint as a vocalist for The Dead. Two years ago, she performed a laid-back show of soul and original hits at the Grand Opera  House in Wilmington, Delaware. And then tonight there was the sexy, ballsy blues performance. So which Osborne version was the best? I know it sounds like a cop-out, but I can't decide. They were all great in their own way, leaving me only to say viva le difference and that I can't wait for Joan Osborne 6.0.