It doesn’t get any better
than Willie at the Shell

Backstage photographs

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Review by John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

A giant Texas flag was a striking and effective backdrop as Willie Nelson gave Hawaii one of its best concert performances in years at the Waikiki Shell on Saturday. Nelson reaffirmed his place as one of the great song stylists in modern American music with a nonstop two-hour show that included everything from country music classics to pop standards, jazz, gospel and the blues. Nelson embraced all that great diversity and made each song his own.

The set list included most of his biggest hits as a solo artist. There were also as a couple of the hits he's had working with other artists, and several Nelson compositions that other artists made famous ("Hello Walls" for Faron Young, and "Crazy" for Patsy Cline, for instance). Nelson also put his stamp on an assortment of American standards by composers such as Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin and Hank Williams.

And, although Nelson is best known as a singer-songwriter, he distinguished himself on guitar as well. Nelson can shred on six-string!

Nelson's musical arrangements likewise transcended conventional labels. Call his music "country" if you wish, but at the Shell it was country without steel guitar or fiddles, and with no synthesizers. Nelson and his excellent band kept it clean and organic with acoustic piano, guitars, bass guitar, percussion and harmonica.

The highlight for many local fans came when Don Ho joined Nelson for an impromptu rendition of "Night Life" that brought down the house. It was one of those "it doesn't get any better than this" moments that will stand as one of the great events of the year in local entertainment.

Nelson underscored the "... and Family" aspect of the concert later, when his sons, Lukas and Micah, joined the band. Lukas earned his place up front with several guitar solos; Micah provided support on percussion.

There wasn't time enough for Nelson to do every song he's written or recorded -- and did anyone really expect to see Julio Iglesias pop in for a single song? -- but from "Whiskey River" to "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," to a powerful acoustic blues version of "Milk Cow Blues," Willie Nelson gave his fans all they could ask for -- and more.

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