Get Up. Do It Again. Amen.

Jackson Browne, with David Lindley. At the Lobero Theatre,
Monday, December 4.

Reviewed by D.J. Palladino

Those who guessed that this might be the musical equivalent of a
proverbial That ’70s Show had no idea how oddly right they would
be. Of course illustrious headliner and homeboy Jackson Browne was
the obvious part, as his many didactic anthems — “The Pretender,”
“Running on Empty,” and “Take It Easy,” to name a few — are the
apotheosis of detachment as virtue. They warn us to check our
emotions, get a clear head, and be mellow. And mellow was the
watchword of this show and those wide-lapelled years, too.

But even the opening act was a little reminiscent of shag rugs
and mood rings, though it seemed more a warm wave toward the
1990s-brand multiculturalism known as World Music. Kiko Veneno,
Browne’s friend from Seville, played a personal mixture of
flamenco, propulsive pop, and dance music with all the dexterity
and tireless self-indulgence of fusion jazz figures from the 1970s
like Al Dimeola. Here were sweet effervescent sounds that lasted
long enough to showcase everybody’s virtuosity. The performance was
clearly beautiful but a little sleep-inducing for we who don’t
rumba so long.