Taylor Hicks: Whomp at the Warfield

Filmed in May 2007, following his success in 2006 as American Idol's fifth-season winner, Taylor Hicks performs an R&B-fueled set at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre. Drawing primarily from his self-titled major-label debut, the singer/guitarist is assisted by a solid back-up band that includes guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, saxophone, and backing vocals. Hicks has the right kind of voice for the material, recalling blue-eyed soul singers from Michael McDonald to John Mayer (unlike most American Idol veterans, he also writes some of his own material). Naturally, he works in a few shout-outs to the Soul Patrol, a pet name for his mostly female fan base. Despite the retro sound, Hicks' covers don't work as well as his originals, mostly because he tends to race through them, especially Ray Charles' “Lonely Avenue” and Eric Clapton's “Badge.” As live shows go, Whomp at the Warfield is reasonable enjoyable—Hicks isn't doing much that McDonald and Steve Winwood haven't already done, but he's a solid performer. In the bonus interview, the Alabama native explains that “whomp music” represents a combination of styles, like a swamp (in which case, “swamp music” might have made more sense). Other DVD extras include two more numbers—“Son of a Carpenter” and the title track from Hicks' first record, In Your Time. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)