The final concert Jeff Buckley played
On May 29th, 1997, music lost one of its greatest talents. Though Jeff Buckley never really knew his father, prolific folk artist Tim Buckley, his childhood never lacked musical inspiration. He discovered a long-lasting love for Led Zeppelin courtesy of his step-father and a penchant for harmonies via his mother, both of which would infuse his own sound with a uniquely melodic rock quality when he came to create it.
Buckley honed his understanding of genre and performance long before he released his debut record, collecting influences like stamps. Between stints as a backing vocalist and solo performances in cafés, he mastered his craft alongside the art of the cover. When Buckley finally put out his first and only record in 1994, it was steeped in confidence and consideration, the sound of an artist who knew exactly who he was.
Though Grace wasn’t received particularly favourably upon its initial release, it has since earned its deserved and permanent place in music history. It’s a glistening debut record with an unparalleled level of polish and vocal prowess. Ethereal guitar soundscapes float around Buckley’s grounding and emotional words, breathing real life into the record.
After the release of Grace, Buckley expanded the scope of his touring, taking to stages across Europe and Japan, even appearing at Glastonbury. But even this taste of huge success wasn’t enough to turn Buckley away from his spiritual home in cafés and clubs. He spent the last few years of his life playing alone in Sin-é and, towards the end, at a venue called Barrister’s in downtown Memphis.
Undeterred by the dingy nature of the bar, Buckley found a home there in March of 1997 when he decided to take up a Monday night residency. Testing out new songs and covers, he delivered solo performances there up until his death, unexpectedly delivering his final performance at the venue on Monday 26th, 1997.
The set he played wasn’t long – it lasted just six songs – but it was characteristically Buckley. After opening with a song titled ‘Let’s Bomb The Moonlight’, Buckley moved into one of his most iconic songs, which happens to be a song he didn’t even write. He played his beloved version of ‘Hallelujah’ alongside another cover from Grace, ‘Corpus Christi Carol’.
The singer also performed ‘The Sky Is A Landfill’, which would form the opening track to the posthumous compilation Sketches for My Sweetheart, released exactly one year later. Buckley closed his set with the striking and sensual ‘Your Flesh Is So Nice’ and a cover of The Edgar Winter Group’s ‘Frankenstein’.
As we approach the 30-year anniversary of Grace this year, Buckley’s talent as a live performer and on record still seems unmatched. Revisit his stunning live EP below.
