concert_goer | Albert Lee @ HopMonk Tavern, Novato, CA, USA, 06/20/2025

Opening the night was Max Gomez, a singer-songwriter from Taos, New Mexico, playing bluesy folk and country tunes. I found his own songs brilliant, and that was clear from the very first one, Good Friends. He performed three solid covers, of which What's in the Well? by Larry Joe Taylor was especially good. What's in the well will come up in the bucket, just you wait and see. Max finished his set with the great number New Mexico, a kind of protest song against Americans who are not aware of NM being a US state. There are surprisingly many of them. An impressive acoustic opener!

Albert Lee was joined on stage by a keyboardist and a rhythm section. He is quite old now, but that did not stop him from delivering a great long set of roots and country rock with amazing guitar work. Albert told a lot of stories, well, he has played with so many big names! We got an impressive collection of covers, including tunes by Dire Straits, Flying Burrito Brothers, Carl Perkins, Rodney Crowell, Lonnie Mack, Everly Brothers, Ray Charles, and even Richard Thompson. At one moment Maria Muldaur came on stage to sing Happy Birthday for his road manager, but left right after. Lee played two Jimmy Webb tunes on keyboard, and he returned to this instrument for the encore to deliver Glen Campbell's A Better Place. The show ended with the rock-n-rolling Tear It Up by Johnny Burnette. Wow, what a night!

Set list (Max Gomez, 8:00 PM — 8:41 PM): Good Friends, What's in the Well?, West Texas Highway, Indian Cowboy, Tonight Is Young, Make It Me, The Lost Train of Thought, New Mexico

Set list (Albert Lee, 9:00 PM — 10:46 PM): Setting Me Up, Wheels, Spellbound, Restless, Feet on the Ground, Runaway Train, Luxury Liner, Happy Birthday to You (with Maria Muldaur), Lay It Down, The Price of Love, Leave My Woman Alone, Too Young to Die (Albert on keyboard), Highwayman (Albert on keyboard), Tear-Stained Letter, Rock Around With Ollie Vee, Country Boy, A Better Place (encore, Albert on keyboard), Tear It Up (encore)

Max Gomez