Review: Shakey Graves Entices Fans at the Charleston Music Hall

Shakey Graves, Nikki Lane
Charleston Music Hall
March 22

Before I discuss the ever-charming Alejandro Rose-Garcia — a.k.a. Shakey Graves — I must mention that I was taken by his opening and equally charismatic act, Nikki Lane. Those that showed up to the Charleston Music Hall to admire Shakey were met with a pleasant surprise in the boot-stomping and swoon-inducing tunes of Lady Lane.

Nikki Lane and company at the Charleston Music Hall (photo by Jay Chapa)

I walked through the doors of the Music Hall just in time to hear the Greenville native say, “It’s amazing that I get paid to complain. I love writing songs, and most of them are me complaining. I mostly complain about men, but that’s just because they are an easy target. But remember, just like men can be dicks, women can be huge cunts.”

Shakey walked onto a dimly-lit stage donning a Johnny Cash-esque suit and tie with a straight-bill cap strategically placed atop his head, a symbol for the blend between younger generation of Americana/Country musicians that are bursting onto the scene and the roots that preceded them.

Shakey had been on this stage before, opening for Charleston’s Shoves and Rope in the fall of 2013. This evening, he kicked off his own headlining show with a solo set, armed with only a vintage six-string and a D.I.Y. drum kit composed of a bright red suitcase fitted with a kick drum pedal and tambourine. Stomping back and forth on his kit, Shakey delivered a solo performance that left the crowd not missing a full band sound at all. The growl of his guitar blended perfectly with the hoots and hollers from the crowd as they drank in Shakey’s fine-tuned performance.

Shakey Graves on stage at the Charleston Music Hall (photo by Jay Chapa)

Backing band members trickled on and off the stage throughout the set. At times, they provided huge-sounding electric bass and drum accompaniment, and at other times, they only provided stick clicks and backing vocals.

Shakey Graves’ set list consisted of favorites off his latest record And The War Came and even some more obscure tracks off his limited release B-sides album Nobody’s Fool, which was only set out into the internet world for a mere two days this past February.

By the end of the show, Shakey Graves had gotten a good mass of people out of their seats and piled up at the front of the stage leaning in for even an inch of closer glances. Probably due to his charismatic stage banter and musical aptitude, the mass consisted of mostly swooning ladies and one exceptionally burly/intoxicated gentleman.

Never one to disappoint, Shakey delivered a double encore with the second caused by a fan screaming, “Hard Wired!” at the top of her lungs. Shakey returned to the stage just as he had begun, alone and with a sole guitar to sing at the request of an adoring crowd.

Photos by Jay Chapa.