[Review + Photos] Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliot Smith @ TPAC

Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield. Photo by Sundel Perry.

Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield
TPAC, Nashville, TN
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Review by Kevin Casler
Photos by Shawn Jackson/Sundel Perry Photography

As expected, Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield’s performance in tribute to Elliot Smith on Tuesday turned out to be special evening. The show took place at TPAC’s intimate James K. Polk Theater in a kitchen. That’s right, a kitchen.

Check out our full review and photos by Sundel Perry from the night after the jump below.

It was interesting chatting with some folks before Seth and Jessica took to the stage. Some were there because they knew Seth Avett from the beloved Avett Brothers, others because of Jessica Lea Mayfield’s blossoming career, and those who just loved and missed Elliott Smith’s music. We would venture to guess everyone enjoyed sad songs as well. If you are familiar with any of those artists’ work, you know you can get taken to some dark places.

Seth and Jessica worked through their catalog of Smith tunes joined only by upright bassist, Paul DeFiglia. The stage set was a lived-in kitchen except filled with microphones, an amp and a piano. The kitchen created a Broadway kind of feel to the show with Seth and Jessica somberly moving throughout the room. In addition to Smith, Avett and Mayfield covered tunes by Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Hank Williams who were shared influences to Smith, Avett, and Mayfield. On the few originals they selected to play, Avett and Mayfield opted to trade out vocals for each other’s songs.

This project has been the culmination of two great contemporary singer/songwriters and most of all, two friends who have shared the same love of Elliott Smith’s music. Be sure to pick up a copy of the new album, Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith.

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