The first time I heard “Home” by Marc Broussard on the radio, I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around it. It was this sexy sort of rock song with a heavy beat and a Delta blues undertone that actually stopped me in my tracks, and I immediately called the radio station to find out what it was. (Today I would just “Shazam” it, but that was 15 years ago!)
“Home” It remains one of my all-time favorite songs, so I was thrilled to find out Broussard would be performing at the Hi-Fi Annex this month. Despite a weather forecast calling for potential showers, there was a large turnout in the open-air space behind the Murphy Art Center in Fountain Square. Fortunately, the rain held off and everyone was treated to an amazing performance.
Marc Broussard’s vocals are hard to define, but if you imagine Joe Cocker’s voice coated in honey and blended with a touch of Nathaniel Rateliff, you’d be close. He calls his musical style “Bayou Soul,” which I think is a pretty good description.
Broussard has surrounded himself on this tour with three outstanding musicians, including Bobby Schneck Jr. on guitar, Jay White on bass, and RJ “Bash” Walker on drums. Although this was only the sixth stop on the tour, they seemed to be perfectly at ease with each other. I saw plenty of smiles and nods among the four of them as they wove their magic through a set consisting of Broussard originals, well-known covers, and a medley of R&B classics. I especially liked their covers of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition;” and Al Green’s “Love and Happiness.”
Fans I spoke with before the show assured me that I would be blown away by Broussard’s performance, and they were 100 percent correct. It seemed as though every song was better than the next. The crowd responded enthusiastically to every song and was disappointed when there was only one encore. (I expect Indy’s 10:00 PM noise ordinance probably was the reason for that.) But Broussard and his crew graciously met fans and signed autographs after the show until everyone who wanted to meet them had gotten their chance.
Throughout the show, I was reminded of the reason I got into concert photography in the first place: to record musicians doing what they love, and audiences responding to their artistry and messages. That interaction is thrilling and magical to me. It had been a long time since I had seen that many happy faces in one place, and it did my heart good.
Marc Broussard’s tour will continue through the end of this year and into next, including several rescheduled dates. You can find more information here: http://www.marcbroussard.com/tour
Watch “Home” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuWPseegaKw
