The last time Hayes Carll came
through Rochester he sold out Abilene Bar and Lounge in a matter of hours. And for
good reason: Carll is a natural storyteller. The
Austin-based singer-songwriter has a gift for humor, honesty, and reflection, vocalized
— with a swaggering Texas twang — over stout Americana. Carll
has shown immense depth and flexibility through his writing, from the vintage
country ballad-esque “Chances Are,” to the rabble-rouser
“Stomp and Holler,” a track written for juke-joint Friday nights.
Carll’s track “Another Like You”
was voted American Songwriter’s No. 1 Song of 2011, and his latest album, “KMAG
YOYO,” — a military acronym for “Kiss my ass, guys, you’re on your own” — made
year end best of lists for Rolling Stone and SPIN, and earned a New York Times
Critics Choice.
To accommodate Carll’s return to
Rochester, Abilene is hosting his Tuesday, May 20, show at Downstairs Cabaret
at Winton Place, 3450 Winton Place in Brighton. The show is under the “Abilene
on the Road” title, for when acts are a little too big for the normal location.
Tickets are on sale at Abilene Bar and Lounge, Record
Archive, The House of Guitars, and Bop Shop Records. $20 in advance, $25 day of
show. For more information: 232-3230; Abilenebarandlouge.com; Hayescarll.com.
Music writer Frank De Blase spoke
with Carll before his Abilene show in 2012, read more
here.
This article appears in May 14-20, 2014.
