Alejandro Escovedo

Photo by Gary Miller

Alejandro Escovedo

Still high off playing the Democratic Convention in Denver last month, Alejandro Escovedo played an exultant set for the faithful. Drawing mainly from his powerful new disc, Real Animal, Escovedo's performance laid to rest any idea that his new songs – despite titles such as "Chelsea Hotel '78" and the title track shout-out to Iggy Pop – are any sort of nostalgia exercise. The wind-milling Escovedo is clearly a musician having the time of his life, playing shoulder-to-shoulder with his band and standing face-to-face with the astonishing violinist Susan Voelz, a founder of Poi Dog Pondering. Both looked ready to take on all challengers. Escovedo romped through "Always a Friend," "Sister Lost Soul," and "People (We're Only Gonna Live So Long)," before closing with "Castanets."