Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley at the Alamo
Jeff Buckley didn't seem to be of this world. And just as soon as he came to be appreciated by it, he was gone. Buckley composed and played some of the most gut-wrenchingly beautiful songs of the past 25 years. He was a raging poet who sang of the beauty and ache of the world with such passion that it is often-times hard to listen to any one of his songs without having every hair on your body stand at attention. He is one of those artists whom, when you first discover him, you don't quite feel comfortable listening to with others -the connection is raw and personal in a way that makes you feel as if the experience of appreciating him should only be done in private. The one opportunity we got to see Buckley in 1994 will forever be emblazoned on our minds. His four-octave range takes his songs from the depth of sorrow to the height of tortured romantic rage. He was simply sublime.
Then, one balmy Memphis night, he waded into the Wolf River, a tributary of the Mississippi, and never came back. Dead at 30. Some say that Buckley confessed to friends the night before his death that he suffered from bipolar disorder. However, none of those close to him believe he committed suicide. Toxicology reports indicated that Buckley's system was clean of drugs and alcohol the night he died. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding his death, what Buckley accomplished while alive was astounding.
Columbia Record executives heard about this ethereal voice performing down at Sin-é in the East Village in New York in 1993 and signed him to a contract, and considered from the beginning that Buckley would become one of their "heritage artists." Buckley's only full-length studio album Grace went mostly unnoticed by commercial radio, but it was hailed as one of the best albums of the year by music critics and established Buckley as an emerging voice of his generation. Unfortunately, his career was cut short, but his influence has been nothing short of unbelievable. Artists across the globe give credit to Buckley has being a huge inspiration to them. From Damien Rice to Chris Cornell to Badly Drawn Boy to Radiohead to pretty much any singer-songwriter with a pulse.
Laurie Trombley, Buckley's former Fan Relations Manager, and Nyla Bialek Adams spent the past six years making Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley, a documentary about the life and career of Buckley. The film features interviews with all four of the Jeff Buckley Band members, friends, family, colleagues, DJ’s, producers, critics and fans, as well as performances and outtakes culled from the Columbia Records archives.
Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley
Alamo Drathouse Downtown
Tonight, 9:45pm
$1 (best.deal.ever.)
