It was fitting that Roger McGuinn opened his two hour concert with “My Back Pages”, as the famed creator of country rock took the packed Smothers Theatre on a cozy musical retrospective review. Dressed in vintage black and donning a classy hat, McGuinn delivered a musical anthology, starting with his earliest days of musical interest all the way through his most recent material, weaving in songs, stories, jokes and insights like a strolling minstrel.
McGuinn took the listeners for a trip upon his magic swirlin’ ship, switching between his electric guitar for signature tunes like “Turn, Turn, Turn”, “Eight Miles High” and “So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” with his easily definable sound and pulse, particularly on “Eight Miles High”, which McGuinn assured had nothing to do with ‘you know what’. On acoustic six and twelve strings, he melded between reminiscences of Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez and of course Bob Dylan with material that influenced him, such as “Be-Bop-A-Lula”, a convincing “Heartbreak Hotel”, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, “Beach Ball” and some convincing Leadbelly Blues.
With a voice that is part troubadour, campfire leader and pirate, McGuinn mixed in stories of the sea with a swashbuckling “Cardiff Rose” with “Chestnut Mare” and “Ballad of Easy Rider” while his guitar jingled and jangled to “Dreamland” and his boot heels went wanderin’ on an assuring “King of The Hill”.
With tales of his pre-Bird days including his version of The Turtles’ “You Showed Me” (which he composed), McGuinn reflected on his post- Byrd days including a tribute to Tom Petty in “American Girl”, putting his life and career in perspective with his devout Christian faith, closing with the benediction “May The Road Rise To Meet You”.
The co-founder of The Byrds was in perfect voice, he played a song for us, and as fans that appreciate a good song and yarn, they filled the theatre to come followin’ him.
Upcoming shows at Pepperdine include Jenny Scheinman 06/02. Stay tuned for a list of the new seson announcement for the Smothers Theatre