Review: Writers in the Raw at the Count Basie Theatre

Rhett Miller performs at Writers in the Raw (Credit: Bradley J. Penner)

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Before the start of Friday (May 1) night's installment of Writers in the Raw in Red Bank, summing up what was in store for the evening could sound like the setup of a joke: "So a proto-punk with blues tendencies, a rising Southern starlet, a country rocker from Texas and an indie tunesmith walk into a theater..."

Sure, it took a minute or two to get used to the sight of the New York Dolls' David Johansen, Rhett Miller of the Old 97's, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's Alec Ounsworth and up-and-coming traditional country singer Ashton Shepherd sharing the stage at the Count Basie Theatre, but ultimately the most surprising facet of the evening was how well this particular configuration of artists seemed to click. (For shots of the evening's performances, check out our photo gallery here.)

With the performers seated in a line across the stage and each taking turns playing tunes and telling stories, all the show needed was an on-stage campfire to feel complete.

Johansen kicked off the show with words of wisdom that seemed to guide the loose and casual evening: "We don't know what we're doing, but we're gonna do it." Along with sideman and former New York Doll Brian Koonin, Johansen then quickly launched into a fun and rootsy take on the Dolls' 1973 gem "Looking for a Kiss."

Next up was Shepherd, who impressed the crowd with the Loretta Lynn-like song "I Ain't Dead Yet" off of her 2007 album "Sounds So Good." On the song, and throughout the night, Shepherd came across as genuine, humble and fun, and the Red Bank crowd responded accordingly. And, as he would for every performer throughout the evening, Rhett Miller pitched in during "I Ain't Dead Yet," picking his guitar alongside Shepherd's.

On his first song of the night, "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)" off the Old 97's 1999 album "Fight Songs," Miller showed himself to be full of energy and more than capable of moving a room as large as the Basie with nothing more than his guitar and his powerful, earnest voice.

Rounding out the lineup was Ounsworth, and while the music he makes with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is a quintessential example of New York indie rock, performing in a solo acoustic setting while wearing a sweater he seemed downright Dylan-esque, hushing the crowd with his folksy and tender tunes and earning rave reviews from Johansen thanks to his unique voice.

And so the show went for about two hours, with the performers politely taking turns playing and Miller more than happy to join in. For a New York Dolls fan such as myself, it was a treat to hear Johansen deliver knockout, stripped-down takes on the 2006 Dolls track "I Ain't Got Nothing," the sensitive new song "Wandering Spirit's Prayer" and a show-stopping performance of his 1981 solo track "Heart of Gold" that featured Koonin on piano and Miller on backup vocals.

For their own parts, Shepherd and Ounsworth each won the crowd over throughout the evening, with Shepherd delivering earnest and endearing originals as well as a cover of Hank Williams Jr.'s "Outlaw Women" and Ounsworth impressing those in attendance with his bare and occasionally poetic folk-rock.

However, Miller was, without a doubt, the evening's M.V.P. Whether he was singing originals such as "Question," delivering a stunning cover of David Bowie's "Five Years" that can be found on a upcoming iTunes-only Old 97's EP or pitching in to play with the other artists on stage, Miller seemed genuinely happy to be in Red Bank on Friday night, and he even had a moment of fanboy glee while reminiscing about growing up with Johansen's cover of "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" in the early days of MTV.

It seems that Miller, along with the audience, was appreciating the uniqueness of the evening and the special kind of chemistry that can happen when four top-notch performers from seemingly disparate genres get the chance to share the stage.