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Concert Review: Ken Mellons with Anita Lynn Palmer | |
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Reviewed by Mike A.
P.J.'s lounge located in Muscle Shoals, AL is a little club on the edge of this musically significant town, and this old-school dance hall was the venue for a Ken Mellons concert I attended on October 16, 2003.
Opening for Ken was Anita Lynn Palmer, an immensely talented up and coming female artist I had seen just a few weeks before at the Big Spring Jam in Huntsville. She had impressed me there, so her presence tonight was a pleasant surprise. Although she brings an impressive set of progressive ballads and fun up-tempo, Anita delivers covers of hit songs by other female artists such as Rebecca Lynn Howard ("Forgive") Wynonna ("When Love Starts Talking") Jennifer Hanson ("Beautiful Goodbye") and Jo Dee Messina ("Because You Loved Me.")
Switching easily from progressive to traditional material Anita performed a wonderful Patsy Cline-like slow ballad called "He's Not You." Anita proved she can easily mimic country's greats, but it was even more clear that she is an original stand-out artist not bringing the same sound as the rest of the female pack. Overall, an amazing set from someone sure to make it big very soon.
Anita Lynn Palmer Set List:
Ken Mellons took the stage to great applause and went right in to a rockin' rendition of "Workin' for the Weekend." Ken is one of those artists that you may not remember his name, but you can sure recognize his music when he sings some of his bigger hits like "I Can Bring Her Back" or the mega-hit "Jukebox Junkie" which recently passed a major milestone of having been played over one million times on country radio - a feat few songs have accomplished.
The highlight of the night was Ken's heartbreaking performance of "Paint Me A Birmingham" a moving ballad about trying to regain the life you lost. So great was his performance of this song (also his current single) that multiple requests went in immediately for an encore, which Ken proudly delivered later in his set. I can not explain to you the emotion that Ken brings out with this amazingly well-written song, it's something you just have to experience for yourself. And I recommend you do just that.
After finishing a set at another club (The Fizz in Sheffield, AL) Eric Heatherly stopped by P.J.'s to sing "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" with Ken, and then his own hit "Flowers on the Wall" by himself, giving Mellons a much needed break in his long set. Eric also commented on "Paint Me a Birmingham" saying "Ken, you're new single is just... awesome." Ken shifted the praise off to the writers (Buck Moore and Garry Duffey) but Eric persisted; "It's also your delivery Ken, just great."
As could be expected, Ken closed with Jukebox Junkies, which had the dance floor full and everyone singing and clapping along. A great show highlighting not only his hits, but the promising material from his new album due in stores next week. Be sure to listen to "Coconut Suntan Lotion" a beautiful love song like you've never heard before, and a great duet with George Jones with "Institute of Honky-Tonk."
Ken Mellons Set List:
* Denotes new material from Ken's forthcoming album "Sweet."