The Revolution Starts Now: With Steve Earle

Steve Earle at The Birchmere

We made our first (but I guarantee it won't be our last) visit to The Birchmere tonight to see Steve Earle in concert with his band The Dukes (and Duchesses).

During the stellar 3-hour show, 2-set show with 2 encores, Earle featured songs from his latest 3 CDs, but old favorites like "Guitar Town" and "Copperhead Road" weren't forgotten. Earle's passion for liberal politics ("I'm not a Democrat, I'm way to left for that" Earle told the cheering crowd) and unceasing support for the poor and the working class was also on prominent display. An impassioned speech about the American benefits of immigration led into "City of Immigrants" while "Harlan Man" and its related  "The Mountain" were preceded by a powerful expounding of Earle's belief that unions and collective bargaining are cornerstones of this country.

Although the set list contained many highlights, my 3 favorites were:

• "Galway Girl" - especially appropriate since we had just returned from an Ireland visit
• "Feel Alright Tonight" - which was featured during the closing montage of the 2nd season of the HBO series The Wire
• "This City" - which was part of the soundtrack for the HBO series Treme.

Earle and his wife share a tender moment on stage

Right before ending the first set, Earle turned the stage over to his wife, Allison Moorer, who captured the crowd with her voice and closed with an impassioned reworked version of the Sam Cooke anthem of The Civil Rights Movement "A Change Is Going to Come."

Travelers' Tip:
If you go to The Birchmere, make sure you go early. The club provides dinner and long tables and there is no reserved seating.