Vincent Neil Emerson is a bit of a throwback in the country music space. The 33-year-old Texas-native falls could be labeled Americana, Neo-Traditional, Outlaw and/or Red Dirt, rooted in a traditional honky-tonk sound that focuses on storytelling.
I am a big fan!
Unfortunately, I don’t know that Emerson is a big fan of me. He was not impressed with the entire crowd at his most recent country music concert at the Basement East in Nashville, Tennessee. It was awkward.
Who is Vincent Neil Emerson?
In an era where pop-country continues to own the charts, Emerson is something of a zig to the zag. His music more closely aligns with the Charley Crocketts, Turnpike Troubadours, Colter Walls, Tyler Childers and Marcus Kings of the world. There is zero pop in his country. He is certified Kuntri with a K.
Having grown up in the Lone Star State, Emerson often cites artists like Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan and Neil Young as major influences on his music, among many others. It is a classic sound that makes you want to throw on your Wranglers and hit the dance floor.
With that being said, Vincent Neil Emerson also crosses over into that jam band-adjacent lane like Billy Strings, Marcus King or Sturgill Simpson. He is not only for 1960s/70s traditionalists!
I was talking to my friend Chris Barilla of People Magazine about this specific period transition in country music. It feels like the pendulum is slowly starting to swing away from the pop-country trend toward more traditional melodies, creative musicianship and authentic storytellers.
I believe Emerson will be a big part of that shift. What is old often becomes new, if you will.
The crowd in Nashville was mellow.
I went to see Vincent Neil Emerson at the Basement East in Nashville on the first stop of his extended ‘Blue Stars’ tour. The room was not at capacity but it was not empty.
Emerson sounded great!
However, the crowd did not meet his expectations. Things got uncomfortable.
Emerson repeatedly asked whether we were having a good time because he couldn’t tell. He tried his best to get the crowd engaged with call-and-response. He at once point asked if we were stoned because it was so subdued. “Y’all high? Is anybody drunk yet?”
And to be fair, Emerson was absolutely right. The crowd was pretty mellow and I think a lot of us were baked like a potato. That does not mean we weren’t enjoying the show!
A debate on concert decorum.
First and foremost, I hear so much music in Nashville. There are shows where I just want to post up in the back of the venue and bob my head to some good tunes. This was one of them.
I wanted to hear Vincent Neil Emerson perform for the first time— but I was not drinking and didn’t I want to two-step across the dance floor. Is that fair to the artist? I don’t know. I figure it is better to pay the money to buy a ticket and support an artist I enjoy than to sit at home, no?
Emerson also played a lot of new songs off of an album that has yet to be released. It is harder to stay engaged with music I don’t know! To then accost the crowd is awkward.
“Y’all quit talking so much goddang it!” (He didn’t say dang)
You don’t want people to talk during your set. I get it!
I was glad to be there and I didn’t like to be reprimanded for how I chose to enjoy the show.
To make matters worse, someone yelled something that sounded like “boo.” Emerson lost his temper.
“I think you’re just yelling boo for attention! That’s such a funny joke.”
Except the person did not yell boo! It was a different word. Whoops!
Emerson immediately apologized for his mistake and cracked a joke at his own expense, which served as something of an icebreaker to lighten the mood. He made good. Everybody moved on. It was funny.
It was a good show but the crowd thing was awkward and it raises a debate about decorum at concerts. Should every person who bought a ticket be expected to sing and dance? At what point does talking become too much? Where is that line?