Madeleine Peyroux at The Coach House

Madeleine Peyroux
The Coach House
San Juan Capistrano, CA
August 19, 2023

On the eve of Tropical Storm Hilary barreling up the Southern California coast, Madeleine Peyroux was scheduled to perform at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. The storm threat did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the sold-out crowd who braved the elements to see this unique singer/songwriter do her thing. Backed by a crack band, featuring Guitar God Jon Herrington (the guitarist of choice with the iconic band Steely Dan for both recording and touring since 1999) along with long-time members, Andy Ezrin on keyboards and Graham Hawthorne on drums. Ross Gallagher on acoustic bass was the newcomer to the group.

Peyroux took the stage at this wonderful, intimate Orange County landmark and acknowledged the weather by joking "You're a tough crowd... But in the other sense." She then launched into her 16-song, two-hour set opening with "(Getting Some) Fun Out of Life." On it, she showed off her debt to Billie Holiday, both in song selection and her stylistic vocals. Bessie Smith's "Don't Cry Baby" allowed her a rare chance at singing the blues. Herrington's guitar work here and throughout focused on his simple yet always tasty approach, showcasing his chord comping ability along with regular fills and solos.

A reimagined version of Bob Dylan's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" was up next. The vocal here showcased her superb phrasing. Very thoughtful and pensive, Dylan's paean to lost love took on a whole new meaning. Other highlights included "J'ai Deux Amours" (I Have Two Loves) which talked about the love of two locations, "my country and Paris." Madeleine Peyroux spent her teenage years busking the busy streets of Paris, after moving there with her mother when she was 13 years old. A French couple seated behind us (who had been requesting the song all night), enthusiastically sang along.

"Don't Wait Too Long" was a bluesy, organ-filled tune ripe with Herrington's jazzy guitar chords and fills. Two covers in her repertoire were played. Leonard Cohen's classic "Dance Me to the End of Love" is one of her most well-known and loved recordings and Tom Waits' "Heart of Saturday Night" was played as a country western ballad emphasizing the beauty of the lyrics.

She and Herrington presented two new songs, one of which she claimed was being played for the very first time. Another new unrecorded song, "How I Wish," was a very personal, introspective look at herself through the prism of her self-proclaimed "white privilege." The mood then changed with "There'll Be Some Changes Made," the fastest-paced song of the night. Herrington's twangy, speedy guitar riffs along with Ezrin's blues piano made this the rollicking highlight of the evening.

She also played a song she composed after seeing and contemplating a bee buzzing around her on the floor. She then wondered what the bee was up to and decided it was going to a "Honey Party." Written as a tango and teaching the crowd the chorus, it became a funny, joyous sing-a-long.

The set closed with the gospel-flavored "Careless Love," the title track of her breakthrough album (she's currently touring behind the 20th Anniversary of its release which also includes a Live in Spain 2005 CD). The entire band took a solo on this one. Peyroux and her group returned for an encore that was probably chosen especially for this particular night. "Isn't This a Lovely Day" (see a clip of the YouTube video recorded that night below).

Let the rain pitter-patter
But it really doesn't matter
If the skies are gray
Long as I can be with you
it's a lovely day...

Peyroux's lovely voice and presentation, along with her witty and charming personality, made everyone forget, at least for a two hours, the potential chaos of Tropical Storm Hilary that awaited them shortly. A perfect example of the communal power of live music well performed.