Todd Snider @ Cat's Cradle

If there were any “Conservative Christian, Right-wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males” in attendance at Todd Snider’s recent show (5/16/09) at the Cat's Cradle they didn’t speak up. Singing his songs and telling his trademark tales to the apparently already converted (both musically and politically), Todd played a long solo set that included almost half of his soon to be released “The Excitement Plan” (YepRoc) including the goofily optimistic “Slim Chance” (“I found a four-leaf clover in the yard today, one leaf was missing but that was okay”), a cover of Robert Earl Keen's "Corpus Christy Bay" and “America’s Favorite Pastime” which tells the true story of a major league pitcher throwing a no-hitter while under the influence of LSD (“giving ill prepared people everywhere someone to look up to”). Snider also played a handful of shouted audience requests and a slew of crowd favorites including "Beer Run”, “The Ballad of the Kingsman” and "45 Miles".
Todd's a true rarity: a talented intelligent folk singer with a sense of humor. His liberal leanings may not be that different from other lefties (I love Steve Earle but has anyone ever accused him of having a sense of humor?) but Todd's delivery is never pedantic or preachy. As he states near the end of "Peace Queer" with self-deprecating wit:
“Lately my friends have been telling me that my songs have gotten more opinionated. I wanted to let you know … that while over the course of this music I may share some of my opinions with you, I don’t share them with you because I think they’re smart or because I think you need to know them. I share them with you because they rhyme. I did not do this to change your mind about anything. I did this to ease my own mind about everything."

Snider seemed truly appreciative of the audience coming out to support him and live music (which isn’t a given at too many live shows I’ve seen). If you've never seen a Todd Snider show I recommend checking his tour schedule and seeing him live when he comes to your town.

You can stream "The Excitement Plan" at Reverb Nation.

Todd's Tour Schedule:

Fri Jun 5 The Birchmere Alexandria, VA
Sat Jun 6 Ashland Coffee and Tea Ashland, VA
Sun Jun 7 World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA
Tue Jun 9 Castaway's Ocean City, MD
Thu Jun 11 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Fri Jun 12 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
Sun Jun 14 Bonnaroo Music Festival Manchester, TN
Thu Jun 18 Levitt Shell/Overton Park - Todd Snider's Nervous Wrextacular Memphis, TN Sun Jun 21 Telluride Bluegrass Festival Telluride, CO
Thu Jun 25 Acorn Theatre Three Oaks, MI
Fri Jun 26 The Intersection Grand Rapids, MI
Sat Jun 27 The Ark Ann Arbor, MI
Fri Jul 10 All Good Music Festival Masontown, WV
Thu Jul 16 Eddie's Attic Atlanta, GA
Fri Jul 17 Eddie's Attic Atlanta, GA
Sat Jul 18 The Orange Peel Asheville, NC
Sat Jul 25 10,000 Lakes Festival Detroit Lakes, MN
Fri Aug 7 The Crossroads Huntsville, AL
Sat Aug 8 Strutting Duck Auburn, AL
Sun Sep 6 Bumbershoot Festival Seattle, WA