ALICIA WITT ON TOUR

WEIRD TIME OF YEAR: Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell shares a warm moment with ALICIA WITT at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan in December 2024 as part of her tour in support of her recent I'm Spending Christmas With You album. Witt shares fascinating tales of the road below. Photo by Amanda McCoy. C&P 2024 Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People. All rights reserved.  (Click on above image to enlarger).

CHRISTMAS WILL NEVER END:

ON TOUR WITH

ALICIA WITT

By Michael McDowell

"There is nothing more hazardous than a Christmas album tour".

That according to beloved composer, vocalist, producer and keyboard virtuoso Alicia Witt. Most unexepctedly, she was reminded of that reality the hard way after sustaining an injury during mid-December while on the road in support of her most recent album, I Think I'm Spending Christmas With You.

"My face met with a shining green room door the other day", she said.

"I now have a shiner for the rest of my tour".

Nonetheless, Witt remained resolute that the tour would continue as scheduled. Her determination was borne out in abundance during her return engagement at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the twentieth of December. 

Accompanied by bassist Amanda McCoy (who has worked with such greats as Tanya Tucker and Patti LaBelle) and ace drummer Toby Caldwell (whose extensive credits include Graham Nash and Allison Kraus), Witt sublimely soared through I Think I'm Spending Christmas With You in its entirety. 

McCoy (who doubles impeccably on guitar) and Caldwell both execute proactively and pertiently in anticipation of the album's wide array of emotions. They range from Witt's moving renditions of the standard O Holy Night, Bing Crosby's I'll Be Home For Christmas and her high drama original, Lonely Holy Christmas to such relatively upbeat fare as Weird Time Of Year (executed from the perspective of her constant and charismatic canine companion, Ernest) and her ad hoc salute to Boxing Day, December 26th. McCoy and Caldwell also doubled on backing vocals.

Between numbers, the trio shared their tales of the road. One such adventure reiterated the aforementioned hazards of touring in a manner that is certain to resonate across the board in the indie music community. 

"We're pretty well set on vinyl", Witt told the audience at The Ark, in reference to the availability of her latest release at the prerequisite merch booth.

"But we have no CDs".

Days earlier, Witt had a supply of the CD edition shipped by courier to her on the road. But due to the heavy logistics demands of the Christmas season, the package did not arrive in time.

"We chased FedEx trucks all over Columbus, Ohio!", Witt said. 

Thankfully, none of that impacted the trio's ability to deliver at optimum level on stage. Witt, McCoy and Caldwell rounded out the set with I'm Not Ready For Christmas (from her 2015 Revisionary History album) and the sublime title track from her 2023 Witness album to a protracted standing ovation from the the faithful at The Ark.

Backstage after the show, Witt and her entourage were greeted by a steady stream of well wishers, including a representative from Ann Arbor's storied Wazoo Records. As chronicled extensively at the time in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People, Witt and Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell embarked upon a vinyl hunting expedition at Wazoo Records (which was founded a half century ago by the late Brian Gunderson) on the day following her previous appearance at The Ark in March 2024. Witt found much to her liking that morning, including various releases by Woody Guthrie, Mac Davis and Patti Page.

Witt was also enthusiastic about one of her latest acquisitions, a two-LP set featuring hits of the 1940s. That collection was released on RCA Victor in the early 1970s.

"Some of my favorites are on there", she said.

"Spike Jones, Vaughn Monroe, Perry Como".

However, the demands of the road once again availed themselves in short order. A lunch hour show was scheduled for the following morning in Chicago, followed by back to back shows in Saint Louis and Minneapolis before returning to home base in Nashville in time for Christmas. 

As such, it was time to call it an evening at The Ark. And that was where her extensive background in television and film (including nine classic productions for Hallmark) served her well.

"I'm actually at my most relaxed right here on stage", said Witt.

"But since November, I've also completed two films. We shot between tour dates". 

Indeed, balancing such a demanding work schedule while continuing to deliver at optimum level is but one attribute of her extraordinary legacy. To be certain, spending not just Christmas time but any time of the year with Alicia Witt is time well spent.