Dar Williams Rocks The Rock

Chris Richards Arizona Daily Wildcat Dar Williams performing live at The Rock last Friday.

The singer songwriter who earned her best-kept-secret status with simple chords and remarkable narrative lyrics is back - this time with a band. On tour to support her most recent release, End of the Summer (Razor and Tie Records), Williams brought along the musicians that gave that album a bigger sound. The switch was evident even in the choice of The Rock as a venue, traditionally a more rock 'n' roll joint than the Southwest Center for Music, where she played last time.

Williams began the show cautiously with a signature solo song, "When I Was a Boy," from her first album, The Honesty Room. The band subsequently joined her on stage one at a time, beginning with cellist Stephanie Winters, also of the band the Nudes. Guitarist Richard Shindell brought a haunting Ry Cooder resonance to newer numbers like "Road Buddy," a Seattle to Phoenix travelogue. He and drummer Doug Pleavy worked overtime to drown the acoustic gremlins of the venue - a low hum haunted the sound system from the show's opening notes. (After frantic technical fiddling proved useless, ticket refunds were offered. None were taken.)

There is little doubt that much of Williams' success has come from an intimate connection with fans who identify with her keen, poignant and frequently hilarious lyrics. As such, the show was a fair balance of songs driven by those lyrics ("February," "The Babysitter's Here,") charismatic between-song chatter, and the newer, danceable songs like "Teenagers, Kick Our Butts" that often overwhelm her words.

As fans filed out of the Park Avenue club, they were beaming - but if you listened carefully, they were talking the most about the songs they wished she'd played.