Melissa Etheridge’s This is Me Tour Lands at The Paramount on Long Island
By Seth M
The stage was set with about a dozen guitars forming a semi-circle around the center stage microphone and a grand piano behind them occupying stage left. At 8:15, the multi-faceted, multi-talented musician casually walked on stage to a nearly sold out crowd and kicked things off with “All American Girl,” which was followed by tremendous applause and a smiling Melissa saying, “Awesome, this is the first time I have been to this place, this is great!”
Still obviously pleased, Melissa changed guitars as the crowd settled in for what would be a magical night of music. What made the night so special was that it was pure Melissa; all the songs were stripped down to just her, the guitar of choice which she swapped out for every song (other than for the few when she took to the keys), a drum and a tambourine.
The seasoned performer indulged in some short stories and banter with the crowd as she checked tuning or wanted to bring an even more intimate feel to the show. As has always been evident in and one of the major appeals of her music, she is quite the story teller and shared anecdotes from her past with the fans assembled at The Paramount ~ including a story about how she turned down Meatloaf to be the female voice on “Paradise By The Dashboard Light.”
Highlights for me included “Chrome Plated Heart,” “If I Wanted To,” “I Want to Come Over,” and the last four songs of the night: hits “I’m The Only One,” “Monster,” “Bring Me Some Water,” and “Like The Way I Do.”
The full set is as follows:
All American Girl
Chrome Plated Heart
A Little Bit of Me
Don’t You Need
I Want to Come Over
Who Are You Waiting For
If I Wanted To
Like a Preacher
Come to My Window
Meet Me in the Back
The Letting Go
I’m The Only One
Monster
Bring Me Some Water
Encore:
Like the Way I Do
Throughout the entire show, Melissa’s strong voice was on point and her stage presence was as magnetic as always; I didn’t miss a full band and based on the audience’s reaction, no-one else did, either. I’d urge any music fan to see her live whenever she’s touring, but these solo shows are a real treat so if you have a chance to catch one, make sure you do.