Town Hall
New York, New York
Keswell School Benefit
Town Hall
New York, New York
December 13th, 2021
I returned home to Canada in February of 2020 following a show of my work in Florida, not realizing that, except for a 33-hour dash in and out of the USA a few months back, it would be only two months shy of two years between visits.
With long-time favorite, Steve Earle headlining 7th annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit in Manhattan for the Keswell School (educating students with autism aged 3 to 21), plans quickly came together for a cross-border excursion.
Roseanne Cash, Willie Nile, Matt Savage, The Mastersons, and Bruce Springsteen signed up to play the benefit concert with Earle’s band, The Dukes backing the electric numbers.
Matt Savage was wonderful; I’d never heard him and enjoyed his jazz piano. I hadn’t seen Roseanne Cash in person either and happily, that’s no longer the case.
I’ve seen the rest of players many, many (many) times. Willie’s new song, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” was a highlight, as was Steve Earle’s “Hardcore Troubadour”. That Springsteen guy played some recognizable tunes, but more importantly, he looked fit, energetic, and ‘tour-ready’.
In a world where conditions change on an hourly basis, it might be some time before I return to the US. This memory will be a positive one to hold onto until that next visit.
Review and Photos by Jeff Ross
