Yesterday at NX35: Carrie Rodriguez at Dan's Silverleaf

Spike Johnson

Carrie Rodriguez, closing out night one of NX35 2010 at Dan's Silverleaf

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Venue: Dan's Silverleaf
Time: 11 p.m.

Any concerns of a drowsy lull following RTB2's set at Dan's were quickly stomped away by the boot of Carrie Rodriguez.

Opening with the twangy and beefed-up "Wide River to Cross," a track from her upcoming album, Rodriguez bore little resemblance to the rootsy, fiddle-playing companion to Chip Taylor she used to play.

It didn't take long until Rodriguez busted out her trademark fiddle, though. With "Absence," her second song of the night, it was clear that, while she may not be considered purely a country artist these days, Rodriguez still has a serious amount of down-home, fiddle prowess in her soul.

With that said, it was obvious that, on this night, Rodriguez made the choice to rock out more than to folk the night away. Softer tunes such as "Rag Doll" and the sorrowful, goosebump-inducing "Seven Angels on a Bicycle" were even augmented with a plugged-in fervor that gave each number a new, climactic payoff.

The whoops and hollers elicited form the comfortably crowded Dan's were proof positive that Rodriguez has chosen the right path to follow as a solo-artist.