Bruce Hornsby emerged on the popular music scene as a shining star in 1986 when he was already in his early thirties. He spent a few years atop the charts with great pop numbers like “The Way it Is,” and “Mandolin Rain,” before settling into a spot with The Grateful Dead and then embarking on a remarkable solo career with some key collaborations along the road.
Wednesday’s performance at the UB Center for the Arts was a casual affair, featuring the man himself propped in front of a grand piano and nothing more. Before Bruce’s solo shows, fans leave requests on the stage, which Bruce spreads on the ground and glances at through the set. He also makes a collage of the notes and posts it on his website.
Throughout the night, Bruce told funny stories and interacted with the crowd between songs, many of whom were shouting out requests. Early in the set Bruce noted that the audience seemed to prefer the “funny ones,” and Bruce obliged by playing two clever, funny songs, “Where’s the Bat?” and “Don of Don’s.”
Hornsby also performed two songs that he wrote, or appeared on, but were made famous by others, “The End of the Innocence,” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” popularized by Don Henley and Bonnie Raitt. Both songs sounded magical in their purest form, and while Hornsby is known for his proficiency on piano, he is a wonderful vocalist.
The two-hour plus show covered the full range of Hornsby’s career, and included a couple of personal favorites like “A Night on the Town” and “Spider Fingers.” Bruce did perform his classic songs, including a modified version of “Mandolin Rain,” that bears only a slight resemblance to the original arrangement.
Of course, the best part of attending a Bruce Hornsby show is watching him work his magic on the piano, and my seat gave me the perfect vantage point to watch a prodigy run his fingers up and down the ivories. People sitting too far stage right won’t be able to see him play (unless he considers moving his piano mid-show), so that is something you might want to consider when selecting a seat to a solo show.
Set List:
It Might As Well Be Me (Florinda)
Song E (flat)
Song C
Harbor Lights
Lost in the Snow
Where’s the Bat?
The Don Of Dons
The End of the Innocence
Gonna Be Some Changes Made
Valley Road
Sneaking Up On Boo Radley
The Dreaded Spoon
20/20 Vision
A Night On The Town
Mandolin Rain
I Can’t Make You Love Me
Country Doctor
The Way It Is
Hymn in C
Spider Fingers
Encore:
Continents Drift
All Photos by J. Ritz.
We would like to thank David Wedekindt from UB Center for the Arts for the credentials for the show.
