Robert Earl Keen

[Magnetized]

He's playing locally tomorrow night and tickets are under $20. I think I've heard a few things over the years from him but don't have much of a feel. Anyone here have an opinion on whether this is worth seeing?

[Vacant Horizon]

He's playing locally tomorrow night and tickets are under $20. I think I've heard a few things over the years from him but don't have much of a feel. Anyone here have an opinion on whether this is worth seeing?

 

his live show is supposed to be good. tells a lot of stories and has story songs. can't really get into his records though.

[Magnetized]

his live show is supposed to be good. tells a lot of stories and has story songs. can't really get into his records though.

 

Thanks. I've been checking out a few youtube videos since posting and I'm feeling kinda meh about him. I think I'll just wait and see if I feel like going out tomorrow night.

[LouieB]

I have not seen him in person but also have several of his CDs. he is a very good songwriter, but old school in that respect. If you don't like old style Texas singer/songwriters, then pass him up, otherwise he is pretty good. (Not as good as either Guy Clark or Townes Van Zandt, but I still bet he is fun to see....more like Jerry Jeff Walker I suppose.)

 

I also find his albums to be only so so, but some of the songs are quite good. (I know that sounds like a contradiction...)

 

LouieB

[Magnetized]

Hmm. Well, I do love Townes and Guy Clarke, and even Jerry Jeff, so maybe this is worth checking out. I generally enjoy that style of music, and I completely agree with your ranking. So, I trust you, LouieB! Thanks for responding.

[LouieB]

Hmm. Well, I do love Townes and Guy Clarke, and even Jerry Jeff, so maybe this is worth checking out. I generally enjoy that style of music, and I completely agree with your ranking. So, I trust you, LouieB! Thanks for responding.

And we are of the same generation..(and Robert Earl's)..when did you sneak in here?

 

It is worth checking out if you live somewhere with limited entertainment options. I am not dissing Robert Earl Keen by saying this. He is part of the whole Austin honky tonk scene, including Willie Nelson and all the rest. His songs are covered by others and he oovers other songs. He certainly has cranked out the albums over the years. I am sure he will talk a whole lot and play a bit less. Either way you can be sure he has plenty of rabid fans, but then again I have no idea where you live so maybe not. Report back if you go see him.

 

This entry from AllMusic kind of puts him in prespective.

 

LouieB

[Atticus]

Keen is fantastic. one of the best backing bands around. amazing songwriter and just all around great guy. go check him out for sure

[LouieB]

There you go...

 

LouieB

[DrNo]

I grew up on Robert Earl Keen but haven't seen him live in years due to his sizable fanbase of frat boys. His first five or so albums are all pretty solid though.

[Magnetized]

Ye gods, frat boys? Not what I would've expected. Well, regardless, I picked up my ticket today and will report back tomorrow. Maybe I'll befriend a frat boy!

 

Thanks for all the tips, guys.

[GtrPlyr]

I have a handful of Keen records, the guys a pretty good songwriter for sure. I've never seen him live other than a few concerts on TV. Last week PBS aired his recent Austin City Limits appearance. Seems like he'd be worth checking out if you're a fan.

 

 

I grew up on Robert Earl Keen but haven't seen him live in years due to his sizable fanbase of frat boys. His first five or so albums are all pretty solid though.

So this verse from Todd Snider's "Beer Run" song is true I suppose:

 

A couple of frat guys from Abilene

drove out all night to see Robert Earl Keen

at the KPIG Swine and Sworea Dance.

They wore baseball caps and khaki pants.

[LouieB]

TV is the only way I have seen him too. Frat boys kind of come with the honky tonk type scene at this point I would bet. I think you will have a good time anyway. Have some beers, get some beer goggles going and it will all be about equal....for them too.....

 

(Strangely I think his song...the Road Goes on Forever is done better by Joe Ely...)

 

LouieB

[Lammycat]

I've seen REK a few times and always been pleased. He's in the vein of Prine, Todd Snider, etc. Some of his stuff is a little too Pop-y for my taste but he's got a great voice, tells some good stories, and has some decent lyrics.

 

So this verse from Todd Snider's "Beer Run" song is true I suppose:

 

A couple of frat guys from Abilene

drove out all night to see Robert Earl Keen

at the KPIG Swine and Sworea Dance.

They wore baseball caps and khaki pants.

 

Todd's a big REK fan, btw. He plays a verse of "The Road Goes on Forever" in "Beer Song," as well....

 

 

And yeah, definitely worth a 20-spot.

[GtrPlyr]

Todd's a big REK fan, btw. He plays a verse of "The Road Goes on Forever" in "Beer Song," as well....

A few years back I was listening to a lot of Todd records and bootlegs. He was the one that inspired me to search out Robert Earl Keen's music, Jerry Jeff Walker's too for that matter.

[hardwood floor]

I saw him in St. Louis with Brian Henneman.

 

He was OK, didn't strike me as anything special.

[Magnetized]

Well, it was a nice evening--good music, met up with some friends, didn't make any new ones (of the frat boy persuasion). But boy, it helps to know something about a band's music to really appreciate it. (Funny, I didn't feel that way about Wilco--it was love at first listen, although my feelings have definitely gotten stronger over time.)

 

There were two opening acts, each with a small but committed group of fans: the Randy Rogers Band and Reckless Kelly. Reckless Kelly did a cover of Richard Thompson's "Vincent Black Lightning" (one of my all time faves) so even though it was a little strange to hear a Texas country version, it was good to hear that song.

 

REK played for a little more than an hour and a half to a very appreciative crowd ranging from kids in their 20's to 60's+--looked kinda like a Wilco crowd, but with a larger contingent of yahoos. There was very little banter--pretty much all music, but that was fine with me because the band was really stellar. I didn't know any of the songs but I was in the minority--there were rabid fans all around me singing every song word for word, really into it. I enjoyed the encore most--they did a slow, anthemic version of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and a good cover of CCR's "Lodi" and then finished up with "The Party Never Ends." I heard lots of positive comments as people were leaving.

 

So. . . really nice show. Not something I'd probably do again, because I realize I get a lot more out of this kind of music when I'm familiar with it beforehand. But the bands were super tight and it was a lot of good music and fun for $22, so no regrets.

[Atticus]

cool. as I said, I think he's got one of the best bands around today, country or not.

[Tweedling]

"Front Porch Song" is a great song!

I like to play it on the guitar and I get chills everytime I sing this line:

 

This old porch is just a long time of waiting and forgetting

Remembering the coming back and not crying about the leaving

And remembering the falling down and the laughter of the curse of luck

From all those son's of bitches who said we'd never get back up

 

And sometimes, when I'm feeling down and out, I like to sing it as to remind me that there is NO quitting in life. Those moments it may even bring a tear to my eye!