Review

Rich tribute to clan in black
Lynden Barber
08 January 2007

Rosanne Cash
SYDNEY FESTIVAL: MUSIC
State Theatre, Sydney, January 6. Riverside Theatre

MOST other artists building their live performance in large part around the memory of a legendary singer-songwriter father would be open to the accusation of shamelessness, of a desperate bid to snatch a bite of their parent's glory.

That's clearly not the case with Rosanne Cash. Long one of the US's most respected country singers, she has rarely made much fuss about being the daughter of the great Johnny Cash. Having earned the right to openly reference her father and his legacy, she did so at the State Theatre to subtle yet powerful effect.

Actually, she did a lot more. Like her most recent album, Black Cadillac, the concert is on one level a tribute to her father, her mother, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin, and her stepmother, June Carter Cash, all of whom died within the space of two years. On another level it's a multimedia tribute to the Cash clan reaching as far back as its 17th-century arrival in America and touching on the ability to carry on through tough times.

Whether spoken, sung or projected, the references to her musical forebears are unsentimental and understated. As she performed with her crack three-piece band, artfully minimalist photos were projected on to the rear of the stage (the old family home and other things) and brief film clips featuring water imagery and her narration set a personal and poetic tone.

For all the trimmings, however, this was still a concert, for the most part a richly rewarding one. Among the highlights were several covers, including a wonderfully moody take on Bobbie Gentry's 1960s hit Ode to Billie Joe and a hootenannyin' version of Cash Sr's Tennessee Flat-Top Box.

Disappointing, then, that such moments of greatness were let down by some awkward programming choices. Black Cadillac is one of the strongest tracks in recent popular music -- think the Doors' Riders on the Storm reimagined in the wake of Daniel Lanois-era Emmylou Harris -- and live it had an almost overwhelming power. But playing such a strong card so early -- it was song No.2 -- risked premature climax, especially when the set contained two of her more earnest ballads. Rocking encore The Wheel reminded us again of just what a fine band Cash has with her, with guitarist Steuart Smith as hot as an electrified cat and ex-Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks providing insistent propulsion. A few more songs in this vein would have been welcome.