Iris Dement, Cactus Cafe, April 11

Iris Dement

Cactus Cafe, April 11

It was just before Iris Dement hit the stage that the audience at the sold-out Cactus Cafe hit its peak. The crowd, mostly composed of graying folkies and urban hipsters, created a deafening buzz. It was a response fueled by the liberal flow of alcohol, but also by the anticipation of seeing one of America's great songbirds in as intimate a setting as she's appeared in a long time. The silence and attentiveness that resulted during Dement's performance was a stark contrast to the near uproar that preceded it, yet was continually merited. Throughout the 90-plus-minute set, she kept the audience in the palm of her hand with an engaging, if slightly off-kilter, stage presence that was augmented by some truly unique stories of her family and childhood. These tales showed that not only does her music sound country, she's led a life to back it up. The glimpses she shared of her parents and her ex-husband kept the ambience light and provided a welcome contrast to her melancholy songs of life lived simply, filled with hope, despair, love, and happiness. One of the remarkable components of Dement's talents is her voice. A shrill instrument that at times might not have needed a microphone in the Cactus' close quarters, it augments her songs in a manner that's truly breathtaking. Surprisingly, the strawberry blonde with the hardy middle-American looks relied heavily on her older material. Surprising, because it's been more than three years since The Way I Should, her last collection of new songs. Only one (unnamed) new tune and a shining cover of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone," augmented her list of well-worn, at times gut-wrenching songs like "Our Town," "This Kind of Happy," and "Easy's Gettin' Harder Every Day." It was only during the encore that the political side of her last disc appeared. Dement commented that she hadn't felt like performing some of those songs recently, but the rather large picture of George W. Bush in her dressing room put her in the mood to perform the angry Nineties protest tune "Wasteland of the Free." Despite the demons -- or maybe the muse -- Dement appears to be fighting these days, her performance remains steadfast and genuine. Her talent is undeniable, and if she never writes or records another song, her relatively modest but deep body of work will always serve her well.