Stephen Lynch – House of Blues Dallas – 3/28/2013
For those of you who have never heard of Stephen Lynch… I am sorry. For those who have heard of him and heard his material but find you are too offended to like it… I am truly, truly sorry… for you. Thankfully, last Thursday night I was able to spend an evening at The House of Blues in Dallas with others, like me, who appreciate Lynch’s phenomenal mix of musical talent, lyrical dexterity and comedic timing.
I’ve been a fan of Stephen Lynch for years, ever since I saw him on his first Comedy Central special. I’ve picked up his CDs when available and made sure I was front and center when he last came through Dallas in 2009 and played at the Majestic. That concert had me laughing from the moment he hit the stage and now, 4 years later, Lynch did it to me again.
Lynch opened the show with bits of Journey songs, lyrics changed to celebrate The House of Blues and promising to finally get to his material between each one. This set the tone for the evening as it brought the house down with laughter that lasted for the entire 2 ½ hour set. Lynch was joined onstage by longtime friend Rod Cone, ex-Asylum Street Spanker Charlie King, and Courtney Jaye (all of whom also appear on the newly released “Lion” CD).
While watching the rapport between the performers, there was never any doubt all four were having a great time and that sense of fun made the show all the better for those in attendance. For me personally, the bickering and the bantering back and forth reminded me of nights hanging out with my friends and how we pick on each other. The only exception to the fun they were having was the loud audience member whom Lynch finally and rightfully asked security to escort out. But even though you could tell Lynch was annoyed, he treated it with humor and the rest of the audience was totally on his side.
The evening treated us to several of Lynch’s new songs including, “Lorelei” (an ode to past loves with interesting physical traits), “Tattoo” (a catchy ditty meant in part to return the word ‘Queer’ to its original meaning), “Let Me Inside” (it’s not what you think…), “Hey Love” (the new ‘Love Hurts’), “No Meat” (Vegan living at its best…), “Lion” (a musical joust between Lynch and Cone to win Courtney’s affection), “Whiskey Dick” (from the new musical “STEVE!” – wink wink), “The Gathering” (those oft misunderstood Juggalos), “Tennessee” (which should be the new state song) and “The Night I Laid You Down” (a beautiful duet between Lynch and Jaye as they reminisce about a couple’s first night of lovemaking… and the music that was playing….).
All are fantastic songs, and heard live the humor is increased a thousand fold. Throughout the evening, Lynch also treated fans to some old favorites, including “Craig” (which sent the audience into hysterics), “What is the Guy from Smashing Pumpkins Lost His Car Keys”, “Vanilla Ice Cream”, “Crazy Peanuts”, “Beelz”, and “Fishin’ Hole” (which has been stuck in my head since that night). He also delivered a trio of “Dear Diary” entries, which drew ‘oooohs’ from the audience… in between the laughter. Charlie King even took center stage at one point to sing “Rag-Time Man” while Lynch and Co. took a quick break. I’ll leave the subject matter of this fun little song to your imagination.
To anyone that has a cast iron stomach when it comes to ‘offensive’ comedy, I can guarantee you a never-ending evening of laughter if you are lucky enough to find yourself in the audience of a Stephen Lynch concert. From language to subject matter, nothing is off limits… and it shouldn’t be.
After the show, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Stephen Lynch for a bit backstage. Check back in the next couple of days and I’ll have that interview for you.
For a list of upcoming shows check out Stephen Lynch’s website:
