The Troubadours returned to the scene last year, following a hiatus so the band could deal with lead singer/songwriter Evan Felker's well-documented issues. This was their second Houston appearance afterlast May, and if it couldn't quite reach the exultant heights of that show, they thrilled the crowd nonetheless.
As with most HLSR gigs, it was something of an abbreviated appearance. Luckily for the Troubadours, their material is strong enough that there wasn't one so-called"bathroom break" number in the entire set. This makeshift greatest hits collection included songs from nearly every one of their previous releases .
This included a banging version of"7&7" ,"A Tornado Warning," and"Good Lord Lorrie" and many others. Bass player R.C. Edwards also got into the act with"Morgan Street," his ode to an old bar from 2012'sFelker, for his part, mostly let the music do the talking.
And unlike some acts , there was no need for a massive light show or pyrotechnics beyond the customary introductory fireworks. The rotating stage did feature some green lighting to offset the primarily red motif. Because everyone knows the Troubadours are proud green dirt country artists. Not to bang on about Felker's sobriety, but holy hell are they a tight band when his head's right. People I've talked to who attended their previous HLSR appearance noted how uneven they sounded and how out of sorts the lead singer was. Last night, in contrast, they were as dialed in as they were at WOMH last year.