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An evening of compelling music and lyrics, and inviting company was the atmosphere as Duncan crooned, rocked and caressed a Mississippi Nights audience in St. Louis Monday, November 16. Sheik opened with "Rubbed It Out" and continued swiftly through a well-mixed set of new tracks and popular ones from his previous record. Sheik commented before the encore that he was suffering from a cold but that was rarely evident during the main set, which was balanced with strong, driving rock numbers and melodic minglings. He approached the set in work-man like fashion, most obviously because of the cold, moving from guitar to guitar, but still gave the audience the feel he was playing for friends. Although some artists can pull you in emotionally on their records but leave you hanging in concert, Sheik is just opposite as his lyrical intricacy and emotion envelope you in concert. And as Sheik continues to explore new territory with his new effort on "humming," his performance and song styling with past work - Serena, In the Absence of Sun, She Runs Away, Barely Breathing & Home (Songs played that evening) - have become more balanced and mature. Even though a Monday, much of St. Louis missed out on a talented and heartfelt musician laying his soul and musical wares on the table.
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