Kenny White and Lauren Fox recurring dream comes true livens enlightens hearts.
When the Lauren Fox show was announced nearly two months ago, there was no set opening act for her. But, everything changed after Oct. 18, when Kenny White opened for Jimmy Webb and wowed fans so much into a standing ovation that the Outpost wanted him back as soon as possible. Friday night, they got their wish as White gave his all.
Kenny White brought his guitar in addition to the piano, along with upright bassist Marty Ballou, who performed equally well. Shortly after Outpost volunteer Gina appropriately introduced him onto the stage as her friend, White wholeheartedly gave his thanks to everyone for having him back again. He himself was also surprised when he found out he would be performing again at Outpost again so soon, as he put it modestly: “I shouldn’t be back so soon.”
Two numbers Kenny White brought back from the last event were “She’s Coming on Saturday” and “In My Recurring Dream.” Some tunes he played that he did not play at the last show were “Gotta Sing High,” “In Magnolia,” “Where are You Tonight” and “Ready to Leave All This Behind.” Also returning with him was Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Angela Reed, and together they performed a beautiful cover of the late Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You.”
Kenny White played a slightly longer set than last time, but due to some time constraints, it was soon time for Fox to grace the stage to perform her renditions of tunes originally performed by Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. Before performing anything, she shared an anecdote about how Mitchell and Cohen once had an affair that lasted for just a few months. She also shared some separate anecdotes about each artist: Mitchell became pregnant at age 20, but she could not raise the child so she gave her up for adoption, and religion played a part in Cohen’s formative years, despite having slightly culturally-clashing parents.
Some Mitchell covers she performed were: “Little Green,” “Michael From Mountains” and “Chelsea Hotel.” “Sister of Marcy,” “Suzanne,” “That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” (originally written for Judy Collins) and “I Loved You in the Morning” were among the Cohen songs she chose.
Through it all, she showcased beautiful vocals almost identical to Mitchell’s, which are otherwise inimitable. Despite said beautiful vocals, Fox also jokingly told the audience, “If you’re here for songs that are cheery and uplifting, you’ve come to the wrong place.” She said it at the right time, because many of the songs, especially Mitchell’s, touch upon serious life issues enough to really tug at listeners’ hearts – all of this counterbalancing the jazzy White, whose songs also did address some serious events.
Outpost volunteers took food donations for the Human Needs Food Pantry, which feeds families in Montclair and its neighboring towns and cities who cannot easily access foods. This was especially a good time to donate canned food, as the pantry was running almost alarmingly low on supplies. But, concert-goers donated a substantial amount of food; hopefully many families will have enough to eat, especially with the holiday season drawing near.
The next Outpost event will be on Dec. 6 and also the last Outpost show of the fall season. This event’s performer will be Joseph Arthur, with the opening act still to be announced. Also, that night, Outpost will be collecting unwrapped, unopened toys for Toys for Tots in order to help put more smiles on the faces of the less fortunate children.
There will also be two winter Outpost shows: on Jan. 10, Willie Nile will be performing in celebration of American Ride. On Feb. 21, Marshall Crenshaw, with special guest Loretta Hagen, will grace the stage.
Tickets for upcoming events are available at the Outpost website, outpostintheburbs.org. Kenny White’s tickets are also available for purchase in-person at Keil’s Pharmacy and at Studio042 Super Business Printer. These shows are sure to be amazing, so get your tickets while they’re still available!
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