Radiating resolve from the stage, Lucinda Williams commanded Belfast's Limelight venue with the authority of a true musical legend. At 73 years old, the multiple Grammy-winning artist demonstrated why she remains a lodestar in the expansive galaxy of Americana music, delivering a performance that balanced protest with groove, intimacy with power.
A Venue Shift and Intimate Atmosphere
The sold-out show had been moved at short notice from Mandela Hall to the more compact Limelight, creating an oddly calm atmosphere for a venue typically associated with sweat and shoving. Audience members sat on fold-up chairs as Storm Chandra rattled the streets outside, creating a contained energy that would gradually build throughout the evening.
Artistic Resilience and Vocal Brilliance
Living with the after-effects of a stroke, Williams stepped on and off stage with careful deliberation, yet once positioned behind the microphone, she transformed completely. Her voice sounded newly burnished, with phrasing that felt more deliberate and a vibrato that caught the light like polished brass. "Thanks for being receptive to my complaining," she remarked deadpan later in the set, following a sequence of songs examining power dynamics and consequences.
New Album Material and Musical Collaboration
Opening with the title track from her recently released sixteenth album, World's Gone Wrong, Williams established the evening's thematic direction. The song landed as protest carried on groove, with harmonies locked tight and slide guitar providing a slow, warning undercurrent. Nodding to Patti Smith, she emphasized "We the people ... people have the power," while her band responded with patient, building force.
The musical ensemble proved exceptional throughout. Former Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford delivered blues lines with slow-bend eloquence that never crowded Williams' phrasing, while drummer Brady Blade steered the set with cymbals creating a washed, phased shimmer that sent the music tilting skyward.
Intimate Storytelling and Political Commentary
The performance's most compelling moments emerged when Williams trusted small, domestic details. Right in Time transformed everyday actions – a kettle boiling, jewellery being removed – into charged intimacy, prompting Williams to smile and acknowledge "I guess some of my songs are a little suggestive." Similarly, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road burrowed into memory through sensory triggers of smell and radio static, its deceptive simplicity delivering emotional impact.
Later in the set, You Can't Rule Me emerged as a peak moment, with delta boogie pushed into exhilarating double-time. While some might note a slight sameiness in the run of new protest songs addressing economic strain, racial injustice, and power dynamics, Williams persuasively argued these issues remain "at the forefront" of contemporary concerns, and that everyone needs artistic relief from such pressing matters.
Crowd Connection and Closing Celebration
The evening culminated in a cover of Neil Young's Rockin' in the Free World, transforming the room into a bellowed, communal singalong. Williams, visibly delighted, momentarily caught herself in a geographical slip: "It's great to be in Dublin ... oh wait – Belfast. Will you forgive me?" The roaring response confirmed her audience's complete forgiveness and appreciation.
Lucinda Williams continues her UK tour with a performance at Birmingham's Town Hall on 29 January, followed by additional dates until 7 February, bringing her urgent songwriting and burnished vocals to audiences across the country.
