Besides being considered by many one of the best singer/songwriters around, Ryan Adams has also been known to knock out a few cool cover songs from time to time, often presenting them in a way that gives the listener a new perspective on the original version.
Though he has taken on Gram Parsons and Hank Williams classics, Adams has a particular flair for the unexpected cover tune, taking on the likes of Iron Maiden, Black Flag, Alice in Chains, Ratt and Vampire Weekend. Perhaps most famously unexpected is his terrific song-by-song full-album cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989. Swift was ecstatic about the project. Other artists have likewise been flattered to be interpreted by Adams. Noel Gallagher once said he changed the arrangement of his biggest song — Oasis' "Wonderwall" — to reflect ">Adams' version.
Sunday at Newport, Ky.’s Southgate House Revival, several artists from the Cincinnati area will turn the tables back to Ryan’s songwriting at “Take Me To Whiskeytown,” a tribute to the artist who got his start with the band Whiskeytown (thus, the show name) and released his debut solo effort, Heartbreaker, almost exactly 18 years ago.
The Facebook event page promises no song will be played twice and there will be a few collaborations featuring members of the acts scheduled to appear — Young Heirlooms (who may be renting out a room at SGHR for the weekend), Mark Utley & Magnolia Mountain, Dead Man String Band, Jay Kay & Friends and Nicholas Clay.
Showtime Sunday is 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages tribute are $10 here or $12 at the door.
