Loudon Wainwright III (photo: Ria Burman)

Photos and words by Ria Burman

Loudon Wainwright III performed at the Freight & Salvage last week singing silly songs about Wainwright Alaskan working vacations and retelling memoirs from his father’s Life writer work days, merging song and storytelling into a satisfying show.

Heavily focused on family, Wainwright’s set was a shower of emotion; raining happy and blowing sad. A whirlwind of sting-eye touching and chin-wobble tender mixed with a spit-raw anger broke with humor, and a poignant longing with childlike wonder. The stories delivered through song and speech held depth and dazzle. Loudon Wainwright III, a lyrical star, accompanied by guitar or piano, sometimes silence and great heart captivated the crowd.