Alejandro Escovedo at City Winery

Vocalist/guitarist Alejandro Escovedo was born into a musical family in San Antonio, Texas. His father played in mariachi bands in Mexico in the 1930s, and later sang in East Bay bands. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, Alejandro's two older brothers, Pete Escovedo and Coke Escovedo, both percussionists, played with Latin-rock bands Santana, Azteca and Malo. Two younger brothers, both guitarists/vocalists, Mario Escovedo fronted the hard rock band the Dragons and Javier Escovedo was in the punk rock band the Zeros. Alejandro started his professional music career in the mid-1970s in a first-wave punk rock group, the Nuns. He then left San Francisco for Austin, Texas, where he adopted a roots rock/alternative country style in the bands Rank and File in 1980 and the True Believers (with Javier) in 1983. Alejandro became a solo artist in 1992. He was awarded the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Performing in 2006. Cured after a 20-year battle with deadly hepatitis C and receiving therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder after surviving a hurricane on his 2014 honeymoon, Escovedo relocated to Dallas, Texas, and in 2016 released his 12th and most recent studio album, Burn Something Beautiful.

Alejandro Escovedo returned to City Winery tonight to begin a three-night engagement where he would perform his 2001 album, A Man Under the Influence, plus additional songs. He brought a big band; there were 14 musicians squeezed onto the venue's small stage. Together, they performed a rather mellow track-by-track rendition of Escovedo's album. This was followed by a public service video for an Escovedo-linked not-for-profit agency, and then the harder rock and roll songs came to play, assisted by Craig Finn of the Hold Steady, and ending with a tribute to David Bowie. Overall, Escovedo's performance was bright and bubbly, with sincere lyrics and tuneful melodies that appealed to the heart, mind and soul. The weakest link was Escovedo's vocals; while his delivery was earnest and solemn, his voice carried little power or broad appeal. This seemed forgivable, however, due to his personal integrity and lively band support.

Visit Alejandro Escovedo at www.alejandroescovedo.com.

Setlist:

A Man Under the Influence:

1. Wave
2. Rosalie
3. Rhapsody
4. Across the River
5. Castanets
6. Don't Need You
7. Follow You Down
8. Wedding Day
9. As I Fall
10. Velvet Guitar
11. About This Love

Think About the Link®  public service announcement video

Additional Songs

1. Sally Was a Cop (with Craig Finn)
2. Newmyer's Roof (Craig Finn cover) (with Craig Finn)
3. Luna de Miel
4. Tugboat (>) Horizontal (>) Chelsea Hotel '78
5. Moonage Daydream (David Bowie cover)
6. All the Young Dudes (Mott the Hoople cover)