Culture
Richard Thompson Tribute Headed to Casa March 2
By: Emily Votaw
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Richard Thompson OBE might be one of the most respected musicians of the 20th century. His witty, often acerbic lyricism paired with his genius guitar abilities has made him a legendary part of the western musical canon, from his early work with Fairport Convention to his contributions to some of the most massively popular Bonnie Raitt albums to his cemented place in the hearts of his fan base all around the world.
Perhaps it is the fact that his work is so deeply influenced by such an eclectic array of musical genres that allows it to be so continually enjoyed by legions of diverse fans: from the rock ‘n’ roll he became enamored with as a teenager while attending William Ellis School in suburban area of north London, to the wide array of traditional Scottish music his father had in his personal record collection, to the working knowledge of jazz music he developed early on in his life.
On Saturday, March 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Columbus’ Donna Mogavero and Jim Volk, as well as Athens’ Steve Zarate and Bruce Dalzell will perform a tribute to Richard Thompson as Casa Nueva (6 West State Street, Athens).
“(Thompson is definitely one of those songwriter’s songwriters,” said Volk in an interview with WOUB. “He’s just one of those musicians who finally, after decades and decades, has become widely known in his own right by millions instead of, you know, hundreds of thousands – and that’s in the states. He’s a royal treasure in Europe, in the British Isles, where he hails from.”
Zarate saw the Richard Thompson band open for R.E.M. in the mid-‘80s, which was a powerful experience for him.
“Richard Thompson is a fierce performer,” said Zarate. “Years ago I saw him perform at Stuart’s Opera House, and I saw how amazingly talented he is – I can see why some people worship his music.”
“I probably first heard Thompson when I was in high school, which was quite a long time ago, since I did graduate in 1976. I had a really good friend who was a devoted Richard Thompson friend back then,” said Mogavero. “I’ve seen him in concert, and I think he’s awesome, and I love his former wife, too. (…) He’s one of those guys that you either really love him, or you don’t. He’s sort of a Bruce Cockburn type of guy, someone with more of a cult following – he was never really mainstream in the U.S., and those are the sorts of musicians I have always been attracted to.”