12/04/07 - Bettye LaVette - Dakota- Minneapolis

Because of snarled traffic I had to walk two miles thru a snowstorm to make it to this show. I arrived in time to see Bettye hit the stage wearing a sleeveless top; wiping sweat off of her brow by the third song. Some people age and hurt... Bettye looks and sounds better every time she passes through town.

For late 2007 she's made a few changes in her band (I think this was the first show with the new bassist and guitarist). And revamped her set to include a bunch of songs from her recent LP 'The Scene of the Crime' ('scene of the crime' being Memphis-- where she recorded an LP in 1972 with David Hood and this new one in 2007 with David's son Patterson (from Drive-By Truckers).

After opening the early set with The Stealer she followed with ten or so songs over the course of the next hour. Every Bettye set includes at least one song that is a show stopper; this time it was Elton John and Bernie Taupin's 'Talking Old Soldiers'. Other songs from the new record that were performed were Choices, You Don't Know Me At All, They Call it Love and Before the Money Came (Ballad of Betty Lavette)--during which she made a run through the audience and sang to the booths and tables at the perimeter of the club.

Bettye's records are usually good, sometimes great, but as a live performer she's the fucking utmost. One of a handful of singers who never fails to blow me away.