Burt Bacharach staged a remarkable credibility comeback more than a decade ago, even though the hit-making songwriter never really had left the public consciousness.
Dismissed by some as a Brill Building-style piano man whose time had passed,
Bacharach began gathering props from hipsters and tastemakers (including Noel Gallagher of Oasis) and enjoying a string of tributes and covers, bringing into relief the overlooked successes of his five-decade career.
Cameos in all the “Austin Powers” films helped cement his cult appeal, while his resolute politics have endeared him to progressive audiences.
“I’m happy to report that no one has thrown anything – yet,” he blogged after touring the red states with a handful of subtly anti-administration songs. “Although I did get my first-ever stomped-on CD returned to me with a nasty letter.”
Bacharach’s latest, “At This Time,” finds him collaborating with Elvis Costello, Rufus Wainwright and hip-hop titan Dr. Dre. It’s not surprising, since the man’s often at his strongest when working with others.
Some of his biggest hits, including “Arthur’s Theme,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “(They Long to Be) Close to You” and “That’s What Friends Are For” were written with or for other artists.
Bacharach will visit the relatively intimate Paramount
Theatre on Sept. 16. Tickets for the show go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($39.50-$79.50, Ticketmaster)
Guster built its fan base the old-fashioned way, with tireless touring and a fan-friendly attitude. The Boston group hasn’t broken as wide as some college-born bands, but its career approach guarantees it won’t fade away any time soon. Guster’s appeal owes as much to the stripped-down approach (bongos, anyone?) as it does the ingratiatingly melodic tunes. When the band released its latest album, “Ganging Up on the Sun,” a couple of weeks ago, it also debuted a new permanent member: multi-instrumentalist Joe Pisapia.
Guster plays CityLights Pavilion on Sept. 23 with likeminded popsters Ray LaMontagne and Tristan Prettyman. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($25-$35, Ticketmaster)
Chris Calloway may be the daughter of swing legend Cab Calloway, but she’s also a noted performer. She learned her craft while touring jazz festivals with her father in America and Europe. After Cab died, she fronted the “Hi De Ho” swing orchestra and appeared in Broadway musicals and TV shows.
Her latest project finds her reviving her father’s music along with songs penned by her aunt, Blanche Calloway, the only black female bandleader to helm an all-male band in the 1930s. Expect to hear hits like “Minnie the Moocher” when she stops by Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret for a stint Saturday through July 15. Tickets are on sale. ($20-$45, lannies.com or 303-293-0075)
