Photo by Nicole Goodhue Boyd
Melissa Etheridge performed Thursday night at Lynn Auditorium.
By Bill Brotherton
LYNN — “It’s great to be here in Lynn, the City of Firsts,” said Melissa Etheridge Thursday night at Lynn Auditorium. “So, for the first time on this tour, we’re going to do this song by John Lennon.”
She and her bandmates, drummer Brian Delaney (of the New York Dolls) and bassist David Santos (Billy Joel/Elton John, John Fogerty, Crosby Stills & Nash), kicked into “Happy Christmas (War is Over)” and it was one of those moments that are rare in concerts these days: the performer and fans were of one voice, singing loudly this plea for peace. “A very Merry Christmas/And a happy new year/Let’s hope it’s a good one/Without any fear. And so this is Christmas/For weak and for strong/For rich and the poor ones/The world is so wrong/And so happy Christmas/For black and for white/For yellow and red ones/Let’s stop all the fight”
It segued into a “All we are saying, is give peace a chance” chant and it caused goosebumps. There were many couples in the auditorium and lots had tears rolling down their cheeks.
Equally powerful was the encore, a white-hot version of “Like the Way I Do,” the centerpiece of her self-titled debut album. When Etheridge opened for Little Feat at Great Woods in 1989 she closed her set with this ferocious rocker. Few in attendance that night knew who she was, but after her incendiary set it was obvious she was destined for stardom. Thursday night the song made a similar impact: it shocked, electrified and rocked; it seduced and affected just like it did all those years ago in Mansfield. It is one of the ‘80s greatest rock songs. Thursday night, Etheridge shook her leg and curled her lip like Elvis while unleashing blistering guitar solos and a sparkling vocal. Splendid.
The Melissa Etheridge Holiday Trio was in town and they played a mix of Christmas songs, Stax cover songs from Etheridge’s recent “MEmphis Rock and Soul” album and her million-selling hits. For the most part it was a rocking good time, though Etheridge’s chatty nature, though well-intentioned, slowed the pace a bit mid-set.
Etheridge, an iconic gay and lesbian activist, remains optimistic despite the election of President-elect Trump. “We are going to be all right,” she said, confident the next generation will do what’s right.
The biggest cheers, of course, came for the hits. Etheridge, 55 and a 12-year breast cancer survivor, thrilled fans with heartfelt run-throughs of “I Want to Come Over,” “Light a Light,” “Come to My Window,” “I’m the Only One” and an extended “Bring Me Some Water,” which evolved into a fast-paced “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and circled back to “Some Water.”
But the Stax covers were terrific, too. William Bell’s “Any Other Way” was a funky wonder. Sam and Dave’s “Hold on I’m Coming” got people moving and grooving. Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign” was a bluesy treat, with Etheridge’s raspy howl sealing the deal. Ditto on a soulful cover of Otis Redding’s “Merry Christmas Baby.” Her guitar playing, on a series of Gibsons, Fender Telecasters and Ovation 12-strings, was fabulous all night.
Etheridge, of course, attended Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1979 and played around town, singing covers of songs by Barry Manilow and others before she headed to California and started creating her own music and a sizable buzz.
Thursday night, Etheridge had a Kansas City Chiefs guitar strap attached to her white, 12-string Ovation guitar. Her Chiefs were playing the Oakland Raiders on Thursday Night Football and she was anxious to return to the bus to watch the second half. At the end of the show, after nearly two exhilarating hours, she said “Thank you Lynn, Boston, Massachusetts, New England … see you in the playoffs.” And she promised to return next summer. Yay!
Bill Brotherton is the Item’s Features editor. He can be reached at [email protected]