The holiday season is a time for uniting with family, and friends, and what better way to do so than a Rock-n-Roll Christmas show. Exactly one week to Christmas day, on Thursday December 18th, Rockabilly crooner, actor, and sex symbol Chris Isaak treated concert goers at The Paramount in Huntington, NY to an early Christmas present. The prolific singer-songwriter released a Christmas album in 2004, Christmas, featuring cover versions of classic holiday songs. Having played the NYCB Theater in Westbury in September of 2014, this was Isaak’s second show on Long Island in just a few months, and his second appearance at The Paramount in two years. Backed up by his long-time band: guitarist, Hershel Yatovitz, bassist, Rowland Salley, and drummer Kenney Dale Johnson, the mood was right with Christmas decor around the theater and smiles on the faces of all in attendance. Long Island native Jeff LeBlanc, who recently played The Space in Westbury with Better Than Ezra back in July of 2014 was the support act for what would shape up to be a spectacular evening.
Judging by the politely seated audience, it was immediately clear that this show was going to have a more relaxed atmosphere than most concerts, but such an environment is completely appropriate for the subdued Rock-n-Roll style of both the opener and headliner. Jeff LeBlanc, an Indie-Folk Rock singer-songwriter, began his career in 2004, and, although he is not a household name, he is met with great success. Along with opening for Isaak, LeBlanc has toured with artists like Gavin DeGraw, Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, and Third Eye Blind, and his music often appears on popular reality show like Teen Mom, Jersey Shore, and Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
LeBlanc’s voice and style are reminiscent of John Mayer’s, and he enhances his sound by using a variety of effects pedals to create loops and harmonies to complement his melodies. His one-man set included songs both acoustic and electric, but throughout it, LeBlanc maintained a laid-back vibe that lulled the audience into a welcome state of calm. His jokes about the insanity of Route 110 during the holiday season underscored the fact that tonight the Paramount was an oasis of tranquility in the frenetic days leading up to Christmas.
LeBlanc played a six song set including “What Do You Got to Lose” and “Until We Get it Right.” A highlight was when he paused to share a few stories with the crowd, one of which was about learning a song for a friend’s wedding. With that, he broke into a flawless rendition of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” the audience singing and swaying along. Overall, LeBlanc’s performance was excellent. With a warm and relatable onstage presence, he’s a skilled musician who imbues his songs and his live performance with emotion.
After a brief intermission, Chris Isaak hit the stage in true rockstar fashion, with a screaming crowd primarily made up of women. Isaak, who has extensive acting experience and who even had his own late night talk show, is a true performer, offering a lengthy set of twenty-three songs with plenty of audience interaction in between.
Opening with “Gone Ridin,’” a hit single off his 1985 debut album Silverstone, he played hit after hit such as “Somebody’s Crying” and “American Boy” along with holiday favorites “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Blue Christmas,” as well some original Holiday inspired tunes like “Christmas on TV.” His band and backup singers played without missing a beat, allowing the star to showcase his equally flawless vocals. Isaak frequently paused to tell a story or deliver a well-crafted one liner, at one point even walking into the crowd and sitting on a (very happy) woman’s lap and at another, sharing a drink with the crowd.
Isaak’s most well-known song, with its equally famous video featuring Isaak rolling around on the beach with a topless Helena Christensen, is the haunting and sultry “Wicked Game.” The lights dimmed and smoke rolled onto the stage when the familiar strains of the intro. began to play. The epic song requires clean, strong vocals, and with this performance, Isaak proved that his voice is just as powerful and pristine as it was when the song was first released twenty-five years ago.
By no means did the big hit mark the end of the show though. After “Wicked Game,” Isaak played twelve more songs. Among the most recognizable were “Blue Hotel,” “Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing,” and “San Francisco Days.” Another shining moment was when he covered Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” which prompted a massive sing-along. The encore consisted of the four songs “Big Wide Wonderful World,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Can’t Do a Thing to Stop Me,” and “Pretty Paper.”
Structurally and stylistically, Chris Isaak’s music is uncomplicated, but it is distinctive and atmospheric, particularly when performed live. Perhaps it is this moody quality that has made fans of the likes of David Lynch who, along with casting Isaak as an actor, has featured his music extensively in his films. In playing a Christmas show, Isaak harnessed that vaguely mysterious, wholly mellow atmosphere, providing the perfect respite from the stress of the season.
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