Margo Price/Pearl Charles @ Webster Hall, New York, NY 2/19/26

 

Bill: Margo Price/Pearl Charles

Venue: Webster Hall, 125 E 11 St., New York, NY

Date: Thursday 2/19/26

Tickets: $46 (advance via Tickpick)

9pm Margo Price

Active: 2013 (Nashville, TN)

Latest Release: Hard Headed Woman (Lorna Vista, 2025)

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8pm Pearl Charles

Active: 2012 (Los Angeles, CA)

Latest Release: Desert Queen (Taurus Rising, 2025)

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I went to check out Margo Price at the behest of a friend from Tennessee that saw her stand out on a Lincoln Center tribute bill and wanted to see more.  Then another friend coming to town said he was drinking with the bass player in Memphis.   Stars align!  I'm glad she asked me to go with her because this discovery of a "new" (more than 10 year veteran) artist was for me the best new "alt-country" I've heard in quite some time.  Well new to me and I'm glad I checked out Margo's material at random for a couple hours before I went to put some hits into my brain.  The big rebel rouser is the main song that kicks off her new album after a prelude called "Don't Let The Bastards Bring You Down."   The other great one is "I Put A Hurtin' On The Bottle."   It sounds like a nick of Willie Nelson's "Whiskey River."  You can see why Willie himself recorded a duet with her.  Her duet song "Love Me Like You Used To Do" also rings a bell this time Paul Simon's "whooah" in "Still Crazy After All These Years."  Her crackerjack lead player Sean Thompson looks straight out of Bob Dylan's Slow Train Coming band which ain't a surprise when she not only covers the recently recorded "Maggie's Farm" but also "The Times They Are A Changin'"  Margo had that hot look of a 40 something denim clad women I noticed all over the place at a Bruce Springsteen show in Albany some years back although she changed her outfit toward the end of the show.  Since her voice as a little Dolly in it to go with her Emmylou, she's gonna be Country with a capital C and put on a show.

Pearl Charles I listened to a bit also and liked what I heard.  She is also a vet over ten years with multiple albums, but I hadn't heard her until this week.   There was an 70's pop vibe that was stripped out live in the acoustic duo opening slot.  "Take Your Time" I remembered for it's Beatlesque "Sun King" or more likely "Don't Let Me Down" feel when she played it, but it sounded different in that format.  Still there was the feel of a broken in shoe when I heard ti.  What wasn't familiar was the amazing outfit she had on.  I'm usually oblivious to outfits but she was wearing this sky blue patchwork design suit that blew my mind complete with a hat.  Very western wear or what I think would be western wear that us Yankees never see in day to day life.  I was guessing Arizona to go with my "goddess of the desert" fantasy but the LA sound of the recorded music should've tipped me off to her hometown.