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Review: Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy at Mohawk
Bonnie “Prince” Billy is nobody’s favorite musician. People don’t know the names of his albums. People don’t know the lyrics to his songs. They know him only as that guest musician on that other musician’s album, or as that oddball character in that indie film (he acts under his real name, Will Oldham), or merely as that wildly bearded, mysterious bald guy.
“Texas sweat is thin and insubstantial,” Billy said Friday at Mohawk, ensconced in humidity. He let on that he’s from Kentucky, which is so far from the epicenter of hip that it redefines the very term. “We Hoosiers bleed sweat,” he said.
Billy was speaking to a sold-out crowd that conveyed his widespread influence by virtue of the local musicians who comprised it. Bill Callahan. Christian Bland of the Black Angels. And siblings Black Nasty and Pink Nasty, both of whom have collaborated with Billy.
Six backing musicians—two drummers, the rest on guitar, violin, accordion and upright baby bass—swept Billy across the span of alt-country. They played only a couple of songs from his eminently accessible new album, “Beware.” Other songs were sparse and Gothic, with Billy, the consummate dramatist, waiting until the nanosecond before they fell apart in silence to deliver his lyrics. Other songs still were filthy and rocking, with Billy writhing his arms, hands, and head about in total communion with the music.
The tales he told were of virtue and sin, of the human condition, and of the complicated relationships between man and woman. One of them was “The Girl in Me.”
“There’s a girl in me,” Billy sang, “that makes me wear bright colors when I walk the streets.”
“There’s a man in me,” violinist Cheyenne Mize countered, “that wants to dominate you and put you in your place.”
If this particular song was any indication, there remained no mystery about it: Billy’s just down with his feminine side.
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By TXn
June 8, 2009 12:08 PM | Link to this
Michael, sorry to correct you on something, but when he said the comment about Hoosier sweat he was taking a small jab (‘horse play’) at Indiana. Will lives in Louisville, KY and KY & Indiana have always had animosity towards each other.
Just lettin you know. He first said Kentucky sweat is much thicker. :)
Good review though, except fpr those who know already, but I understand most do not know YET.
By atxburn
June 9, 2009 4:57 PM | Link to this
How is this even a review? I mean, yeesh!
1st: Do you really think it was a sold out show because people only know Oldham “as that guest musician on that other musician’s album, or as that oddball character in that indie film.” C’mon man, you might not have a clue, but it’s pretty clear Oldham has a fine following here in Austin.
2nd: It was probably smart that you spent a whole paragraph talking about the local musicians that were in the audience, because you really didn’t seem to have much at all to say about the actual show.
3rd: Your conclusion is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen anyone write in a music review. Is this really what you took away from the show and want to close your review with?
Keep trying though! Everything takes a little practice.
By A. Medusa
July 26, 2009 7:30 AM | Link to this
Ha… I just happened upon this article. Hilarious… I’m sure Bonnie “Prince” Billy is NO ONE’S favorite… because I know for a fact that people turn out in droves to his shows and most people I know that listen to him own everything he’s recorded that they can get their hands on. Nice try though.