March 9, 2022 Seattle, WA
Low Cut Connie’s “Private Lives Tour” kicked it’s way into Seattle’s Tractor Tavern Wednesday night and OH-EM-GEE was it worth the 2 year wait! This high impact performance was one that I have always heard of but never seen.
Formed in Pennsylvania around 2010, Low Cut Connie mainly consists of lead singer, writer and piano player, Adam Weiner, who performs solo or with his band:
Will Donnelly (rhythm guitar), Linwood Kirk (guitar) Abigail Dempsey (violin/backup vocals) Rocky Anne Bullwinkle (backup vocals) Attis (Drums) Jarae Lewis (bass/percussion).
If the band’s name sounds familiar to you too, it could be that you remember hearing “Boozophilia” from former President Barack Obama’s 2015 Presidential Spotify playlist.
In fact, the band has quite the celebrity fan base that includes Bruce Sprinsteen and Sir Elton John.
Weiner instantly got the crowd excited by shaking the hand of every fan who lined the stage.
Including this photographer, who awkwardly went in with a fist pump.
The interaction with his beloved fans continued throughout the evening.
At times it was hard to know where the stage ended, as Weiner used every inch of his body to connect physically and emotionally to those whose eyes were locked on him.
Watching Weiner move around the stage was like watching rock-n-roll gymnastics with a touch of sexy yoga. Imagine if someone combined Elton John, Jerry Lee Lewis with Black Pistol Fire, added some Broadway stylings and a splash of gunpowder and BAM! You have Low Cut Connie!
Weiner’s moves seem to defy gravity and make you hold your breath.
In between verses Weiner would just randomly hop on his piano and do a handstand, while kicking his legs out. Oh and all while continuing to sing and play, completely on key
This particular move always seemed to crack up both guitarists Will Donnelly and Linwood Kirk.
Weiner had an electric connection with his band and their energy fed off each other the more the night continued.
Backup singers Abigail Dempsey and Rocky Anne Bullwinkle each had their moments in the spotlight, sharing a microphone with guitarist Will Donnelly.
Connie’s fans are equally enthusiastic and devoted to the band. While many were masked I could tell by the smile in their eyes that they knew all the lyrics.
Many fans that I spoke with were experiencing the band live for the first time and started following LCC during the pandemic.
Like many in the music industry, the venue and tour closures due to the covid-19 pandemic, forced Low Cut Connie to cancel it’s original Private Lives tour.
During the closures, Weiner decided to live-stream a concert from his Uncle’s basement and titled it “Tough Cookies”. The live-stream eventually inspired his future podcast of the same name.
When Weiner asked the crowd if anyone had heard of “Tough Cookies” the walls began to shake!
The Tough Cookies podcast is now a weekly music variety show that has been featured in Rolling Stone and NPR’s “All Things Considered”. Weiner has interviewed music icons such as Mike Nesmith (Monkees) and Patrick Haggerty (Lavender Country) who in 1973 produced the first known gay country themed album.
There were very few times when the show slowed down. Shortly after playing some songs from 2011’s “Get out the Lotion” Weiner told a poignant story of how he was a teacher, in his 30’s and was wondering if he would ever make a career in music.
Obviously, he did, but his point to the fans in the audience was to never give up on your dreams.
Weiner then surprised everyone with a slowed down piano version of “Nearly Lost You” as a tribute to Seattle’s own Mark Lanegan, former lead singer of the Screaming Trees who passed away two weeks ago.
Weiner, who covers artists often, apologized to the audience for just learning the song. He barely missed a tune and it was one of his most heartfelt covers I’ve heard yet.
If you missed your chance to see Low Cut Connie in the Pacific Northwest, do yourself a favor and see them on their next tour.
The Private Lives Tour will head next into Canada for a stop before heading east for a handful of shows in PA, NY, NJ & VT.
Openers for Low Cut Connie were the LA based band, Hearty Har who just released their debut album “Radio Astro”.
Hearty Har
Low Cut Connie
