Billy Bragg live @ Chevalier Theatre, Medford, MA [10-14-24]

How do you even define Billy Bragg’s music anymore? Nowadays it almost sounds like easy listening, but with a leftist political leaning. The man has always worn his heart on his sleeve and although his political songs can seem a little too on the nose and simplistic, his love songs are simply beautiful. I just love the guy, OK?

The Chevalier is quickly becoming the cool spot to see shows. I remember it looking more like a rundown high school gym, but nowadays it’s gotten pretty fancy: the sound is spectacular and the place has a luster to it I wasn’t expecting. It’s also a 25-minute bike ride from my house, and the rainy weather cleared up just as I was about to hit the road. The stars were aligning.

The last time I was Billy Bragg was in 2008, and I regretted not seeing him earlier this year in Somerville. I just didn’t think he toured that much anymore, but he’s actually been to the states a lot this year as he reminded us during his set. He wasn’t trying to get a quick tour in before shit goes tits up in the election. Also, I don’t think political climate, whether favorable or not, has kept Bragg from doing hat he wants to do. He has mentioned that his playing cruise ships is merely due to the fact that people aren’t buying records that much anymore. Sounds like he’d rather not do them?

This night with Billy Bragg had the intimacy you’d want from such personal songs. The setup was simple, just him switching guitars and occasionally accompanied by an organ. His songs, some more than 40 years old still resonate, can still move you, and sound full of life. The setlist included lots of highlights from Life’s a Riot with Spy vs Spy to his recent A Million Things That Didn’t Happen. I should have known this show was going to be talk-heavy. Would you believe me if I told you Bragg talked for about an hour out of his 2.5 hour set? Some of it was delightful and charming (like regaling us with cool tour stories about the past and present), while others, as you would guess, basically pandered to the crowd with his politics (Trump is bad! Vance looks weird! Unions are good! Yay LGBTQ!). It was fine, but a couple times I wished he got on with it. I don’t know if he played two songs in a row without a story. The crowd was older, but not that much more distinguished as there was constant attempt by the audience to make themselves part of the show by hollering, trying to cut into the conversation and simply make a spectacle of themselves. I’m talking of course about that ONE guy, wearing a SKA trucker hat, clapping and dancing on his own while trying to get us to join along. Thanks for ruining the show for us, dude.

Look, Billy Bragg is the man and his music is simply wonderful. He still puts on a fantastic show and performance-wise, he’s still at the top of his game. Support the guy, why don’t you! Things might go tits up next month, anyway!

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