It was a night of songs and stories at The Wilbur Theatre when Alan Doyle and Bandits On The Run arrived. The historic venue in downtown Boston has hosted its share of great actors, musicians and comedians, and if walls could speak, it would have many stories to tell.
But the stories that interested the audience Thursday were chiefly those of Alan Doyle, and most revolved around Russell Crowe.
The Hollywood actor and the Canadian songwriter became friends and creative collaborators in the aughts and early teens. Picture the actor in his heady “Gladiator”-era, tooling along Rodeo Drive in a luxury convertible with his hair blowing in the wind. Doyle was probably riding shotgun, and we’ll never hear the end of it.
Name recognition is nothing to sniff at, though. The Wilbur was full of fans from the pit through the mezzanine whose eyes lit up when Doyle shifted into nostalgia mode. Like all experienced entertainers, he understands that what the audience wants most of all – more than the greatest play, song or comedic routine – is to feel like they’re home again. The singer and songwriter wrapped the audience in a snug blanket of memories.
The Doyle songbook is a mix of tunes that run the gamut from contemporary pop to Celtic traditional, sounding like melodies you’ve heard before but can’t quite place. His versatile backing band of five musicians can belt out a hard-rocking guitar solo in one measure and platform a folky accordion progression the next. Among the standouts of the night was “Take It Easy With Me,” a Jimmy Buffett-inspired island theme.
Opener Bandits on the Run warmed up the room with a set that showcased its forthcoming LP “Rough Magic,” triangulating the musical geography between folk, world music and Broadway.
No surprise that the trio of Adrian Blake Enscoe (acoustic guitar), Sydney Shepherd (cello) and Regina Strayhorn (accordion) share a busking background on the streets of New York City. Their minimalist setup (with a bass drum packaged inside a suitcase, which Enscoe played with his back heel) would be an easy fit on most street corners. And the trio’s powerful vocal harmonies flashes a chutzpah that turns heads in public places.
But there’s more than hardscrabble busking to Bandits on the Run. Credits of the members include TV and film, and they’re working on multiple stage musicals, such as an adaptation of “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.”
That’s a lot of spaghetti getting thrown against the wall, but all the Doyle fans wanted on Thursday night was an easy transition from the workaday cares of the outside world into the unbothered charisma of the Canadian headliner.
Bandits on the Run understood the assignment. The trio charmed the room with sparkling cuts from “Rough Magic,” including the triple vocal harmony of the opening track, “Am I Your Mirror?”
The trio continues its tour in support of Alan Doyle into May, with dates in Virginia, Pennsylvania, the Midwest and beyond.
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