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Review: 'Idol' winner delivers soul, intensity in sold-out show

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/music/article/0,1406,KNS_349_5393963,00.html

By BETSY PICKLE,
March 4, 2007

Taylor Hicks came to Rocky Top on Saturday night and made himself at home.

Performing for a sellout crowd of 1,631 at the Tennessee Theatre, Hicks was like a bluesy gyro, constantly in motion as he belted out most of the tracks from his major-label debut, "Taylor Hicks," along with a few novel mash-ups. His fans, ranging from 6 to well into the 60s, stayed on their feet along with him.

The 30-year-old Alabaman with the salt-and-pepper hair and husky voice proved that millions of dialing fingers hit the right numbers when they voted him winner of last year's "American Idol." Hicks, backed by a tight six-piece band and one singer, used his years of stage experience and the polish he got from "Idol" to craft a nearly flawless show.

Hicks, as did opening act the Greyhounds, commented on the beauty of the venue - how could he not? But it was the personal touch of segueing from a falsetto improv on "Wherever I Lay My Hat" into lyrics from "Rocky Top" that won the locals' hearts.

While "Taylor Hicks" boasts an uneven selection of songs that often fall short of the singer's abilities, onstage Hicks elevated even the most inane of them and turned the better cuts into fantastic showpieces.

He got off to a fast start with "Give Me Tonight," "Heaven Knows" and "The Maze," into which he injected strains from "Let's Get It On," before slowing down slightly for "Hell of a Day," from his self-released "Under the Radar." But his early high note came when he poured on the intensity for the Rob Thomas-penned "Dream Myself Awake."

Hicks spun, strutted, bounced and shook his way around the stage throughout his 65-minute set, going from "The Deal" and "Gonna Move" into the soulful classic "Wherever I Lay My Hat." He showed a sense of playfulness in his rendition of Rod Stewart's "Young Hearts," taking it halfway to rap, before returning to his past for "Heart and Soul."

He hit another high with "Just To Feel That Way." Hicks has a gift of being able to crawl inside a lyric and deconstruct it while making it grander, and he really showed off on this one.

Hicks left the stage briefly after energetic performances of "The Right Place" and "The Runaround" before returning for his encore, an unexpected classic from Cream, "Badge." It was a bold move, but Hicks and his band proved they were up to it. It was blues perfection.