Strand of Oaks, The Lexington, gig review: Timothy Showalter sings with painful honesty
At times his songs about his past border on nostalgic obsession
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.‘Goshen ’97’, named after Timothy Showalter’s hometown in Indiana, is filled with intricate details of being a kid trying to write music for the first time.
Those euphoric choruses are deceptive: Showalter is almost painfully honest, singing about his past with a nostalgia that borders on obsession.
This is the mood that runs throughout his performance as Strand of Oaks at The Lexington. ‘JM’ – Showalter’s tribute to Jason Molina – lifts into a devastating riff that conveys all of his own regret in its stark notes.
Although Showalter’s music is rooted in folk-rock, synth-heavy tracks like ‘Same Emotions’ suggest that his 2014 LP HEAL is an attempt to recreate the sounds of his youth as a musical memoir: with hints of pre-grunge and occasional shredding thrown in for good measure.
He opens up to his audience – made up almost entirely of men – as he recounts details of his childhood, his wife’s affair, and his struggles with himself in a John Grant-esque confessional.
As the encore draws to a finish, Showalter throws himself off-stage and into the arms of the first men who catch him, tumbling through the crowd. ‘Thank you so much,’ he says to each one. ‘Thank you.’
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments