Lucinda Williams, the 73-year-old Americana legend, performed a compelling set at Belfast's Limelight on Tuesday night, two days after her birthday. The show, moved from Mandela Hall at short notice due to Storm Chandra, saw a sold-out crowd seated on fold-up chairs in an unusually calm atmosphere for the venue.
Williams, a multiple Grammy winner, opened with the title track from her 16th album, 'World's Gone Wrong', blending protest with groove. Backed by a patient band featuring ex-Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford and drummer Brady Blade, she delivered songs that ranged from intimate details in 'Right in Time' to the memory-laden 'Car Wheels on a Gravel Road'.
Despite a slight sameness in newer protest songs addressing economic strain and racial injustice, Williams argued these issues are 'at the forefront'. The set peaked with 'You Can't Rule Me', a delta boogie pushed into double-time, and a closing cover of Neil Young's 'Rockin' in the Free World' that became a bellowed singalong.
Williams, living with the after-effects of a stroke, moved on and off stage with care but radiated resolve behind the mic. Her voice sounded newly burnished, with deliberate phrasing and vibrant vibrato. She briefly confused Belfast with Dublin, but the crowd's roar of forgiveness showed their appreciation.
