Customer Reviews

High Wire Live

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Here are a bunch of Willy Porter favorites captured (emphasis on that word specifically) expertly. I say captured because, as another reviewer aptly noted, this album is more of a freeze frame of Willy than anything else. Willy's magic comes when he's onstage, not in a studio.

I had the great opportunity to meet Willy when he came to play at my high school right where he grew up in Milwaukee, and one of the greatest things about Willy is how human he is. So many musicians these days lose touch with the general public once they experience even the slightest bit of success.

Not this guy. He is passionate as well as humble, virtuousic yet still grounded, and it shows in his playing. He deftly sings, plays and writes about things everyday people feel but just might not be able to express.

Best of all, this CD is a great opener to Willy Porter and his music in general. If you're wondering what a good first Willy Porter CD would be, I would immediately suggest this one. And for those longtimes fans out there who have probably seen Willy live at some point, buy it now, buy it now!

I can't tell you how powerful this album is for me. If you've had a chance to hear Willy play live, then you have a full understanding of the impact he has when it's nothing but him and his guitar... an incredible duo that completely blew me away when I happened to catch him as an opening act for Angie Aparo. After the first minute or so of his opener, "Breath" I found myself wondering why I was going to bother staying for Angie Aparo.

If you have heard Willy's earlier albums and found them lacking in production quality, this is a much more mature showing. Instead of trying to "produce" him, the effort seems to be bent on just trying to capture his essence. Willy is a live performer plain and simple. Rip him back out of the studio and give him an audience to play in front of and you find his magic and muse.

I can't recommend this album highly enough. Paper Airplane, Unconditional, Breath, Tribes, You Stay Here and Angry Words all all constant favorites on my MP3 player. This CD hasn't left my CD player since I bought it.

In an age when most 'recording artists' fix all their mistakes with digital gadgetry in studio, how refreshing it is to listen to Willy Porter, laying it all out on the line, LIVE, just one impossibly talented human being with his acoustic guitar.

Brilliant, insightful songwriting, sensitive yet powerful vocals, and guitar playing that will make your head spin. This is a fantastic CD.

Don't miss the chance to see Willy in concert. Truly an amazing performer.

Absolute perfection. I've had the privelege of seeing Willy perform live a few times (I was also present at Fitzgerald's in Chicago for the live recording of "Roadbone" for this CD), and this is his first CD that truly does him justice (although I am a fan over his other work as well). Terrific choice of songs, and the performance of each is simply marvelous.

Willy is (of course) a phenomenal guitarist. Listening to the first few bars of "Tribe" affirms this; however, there is so much more depth to his persona than being a virtuoso on the guitar. His lyricism is at times profound, and often infused with a terrific sense of humor; he tackles subjects (ie. unconditional love, the majesty of true love, consumer-based religion, forgiveness, etc.) on this CD in a manner that aptly demonstrates his unique way of looking at the world. And then that voice of his...

This is a wonderful, wonderful CD. Great songs, remarkable guitar playing, and a voice that can make the angels swoon.

Lastly, I truly hope that people that think that John Mayer is the "be-all-end-all" guitarist/singer/songwriter will give this CD a chance. Maybe Willy can become a household name too. He deserves it more.

Well, I just saw Willy Porter open for Eric Johnson last night in Anaheim. I saw a guy get up onstage with an acoustic guitar, and since I didn't want to lose my spot near the stage, I figured I'd stay and watch. I don't usually watch the opening act. All I can say is THANK GOD I STAYED!! Willy Porter blew us all away with some of the most Phenominal Musicianship anyone there had ever seen. It's like the guy is Genetically Programmed to do what he does. Music just comes pouring out of the guy. And, he just may be the greatest acoustic guitar player you have ever seen. On top of that, he's very funny and a nice guy, too. I have no idea how I would catagorize his music, except to say that it is of Extremely High Caliber, and Extremely Inventive. I've run out of words, and I only just heard of Willy Porter yesterday. I haven't bought the CDs yet, but I'm going to when I finish writing this. I suggest you do the same, because Willy Porter is Phenominal.

This disc is simply amazing. It's the closest you can get aside from seeing a live performance. Willy is the only musician I enjoy better when he is performing by himself instead of with his band. I've seen him about five or six times and I just I still can't believe what a talent he is. This is the best disc I've bought in five or six years hands down. I liked it so much, I bought another three for gifts for friends and family. Willy is the total package: Soulful voice, skilled writer, amazing guitar player, brilliant showmanship, and a pretty down to earth guy. A lot of his other studio work, although decent, don't seem to capture all of his talent. This disc gets closer to the real thing. I hope he makes another ten live cds.

This CD showcases Willy as he truly is, a Genius. Folks, this is guitar playing at its very best.
I have seen Willy live and this is the closest you can get to being there.
What a special treat to hear an old favorite, Paper Airplane played on the 12 string!
The best way I can describe this live CD is, from the moment you start listening to the 1st track, Tribe through the last song, Roadbone, your mouth will drop open (literally) and you will get chill bumps, it IS that fantastic.

High Wire Live is a must for Willy Porter fans. And for the newcomer, this is a great place to start and I guarantee you'll be back for more!

If you have never seen Willy Porter live, this is as close as it gets without going to a show. Willy finds some of the most unique, passionate and fun recordings of tracks played over the past year and really captures the magic of one of his solo shows.

While his previous studio discs have all shown the singer/songwriter at his best, this particular CD captures the essence of what he is really all about. You would never believe how good one man and a guitar can really sound. Next thing you know you will be buying a ticket to his next show.

If you have heard of Willy and have never picked up a CD of his yet, this is the one to grab. And if you have never heard of Willy and want to hear one of the modern greats of acoustic guitar, pick this CD up and you will not be disappointed.

Willy Porter has finally made the disc all his fans have been waiting for---a solo album featuring only him and his guitar, with no overdubs or reworking in the studio. Alone on stage, he sounds like an entire band. While his other discs all demonstrate his consummate musicianship, they have failed to demonstrate conclusively why he has been called "God's gift to music for the 21st Century." This disc finally does, and also proves it is time for Willy to start racking up the Grammy nominations.

The first track, "Tribe," begins with an eerie, other worldly atmosphere before one of Willy's best riffs kicks in. To hear (and see) him play this riff while singing beautifully is amazing.

Next comes "Angry Words," which was Willy's first hit. It's a song about "finally getting over" lost love, which is much easier when one has found a new and better love. Again, the guitar playing is magical.

Willy follows this with a track from his last disc, "Unconditional," which was inspired by his fatherhood. It's an emotional tale of the attraction and fear of unconditional love.

"Breathe" takes his guitar playing to another level: probably some of the fastest picking ever recorded. It is a great tune that was written to inspire a friend who was battling cancer, but applicable to all of us in its admonitions, "Don't worry so much" and "Don't hurry so much."

"Dishwater Blonde" proves Willy can write and sing as well as he can pick. It's a poignant song about bad and good relationships, but words can't do justice to the beauty of this song and his perfect falsetto singing. It remains one of my favorites of his entire repertoire, despite the backseat his guitar takes.

"Jesus on the Grille" is a blues send-up of religion. Most people will love it and its humor, though a few probably can be counted on to hate its lyrics by taking them too seriously. The slide guitar work is commendable regardless of one's take on the lyrics.

"Paper Airplane" is another of Willy's signature songs, inspired by a stare-down between him and a nude neighbor through her open window. Willy took this brief encounter and turned it into a gorgeous love song, rather than a tawdry encounter. Featuring another great riff, plus wonderful lyrics and singing, it is one of his masterpieces.

Willy is joined by the legendary Martin Barre of Jethro Tull for "You Stay Here." A powerful vocal performance by Willy is augmented by his impassioned guitar playing. Martin embellishes the song with his customarily exquisite and tasteful electric licks.

"Mystery" is one of Willy's very best songs---great guitar riff, profound lyrics, and sympathetic singing. Another masterpiece, and here he enlists the crowd's support on the closing chorus.

The final track is "Road Bone"---an instrumental slide tour de force on 12-string guitar. Willy wrote it as a tribute to road kill, but you'd never guess it from the beauty of the playing. This deserves a Grammy nomination for best instrumental performance.

All in all, Willy's best disc yet---which is saying a lot. Thank you, Willy!

I had gone to the theater to hear Eric Johnson. But first, there was some guy on stage named Willy Porter. "Never heard of him," I thought. And then I heard him perform "Breathe."

Now I own Mr. Porter's complete catalog. And, in a couple of weeks, I'll be privileged to hear him again.

A year ago Willy snuck up on me. Now he's sneakin' up on everybody.