CheekyChicago

It isn’t everyday you find yourself in the company of rock n’ roll celebuspawn. But such wasn’t the case Sunday evening, as I found myself at the show of singer/songwriter — and son of Paul Simon — Harper Simon. The 37-year-old musician has been on the music scene for some time, but has only recently stepped out of the shadow of his acclaimed father and into the solo spotlight. And you thought you had big shoes to fill. Simon released his debut, self-titled album last month.

Simon took the Lincoln Hall stage alongside his band, which featured lap steel, piano and harmonica, rounding out a classic alt-country lineup. As soon as Simon walked onstage, it became clear – he may be building a following based on his notable pedigree, but he, like any other new-on-the-scene musician, was playing to a scantly-filled room, simply hoping to win over new fans with his songs.

Simon’s general sound is not terribly far-off from his father’s: an evident folk influence exists, but songs like “Wishes and Stars” offer a modern likeness closer to Ryan Adams. While listening to his album, I was pleased to discover myself truly enjoying its likeable, folk-tinged tracks. But Simon’s live show, overall, seemed to lack the musician’s ability to successfully transfer the allure of his recordings to the stage; considering this was one of the first stops on his first-ever solo tour, I’d say he has ample time to finesse his stage presence. The band members were each considerably proficient, but overall cohesion will likely come with time. Simon wasn’t one for charming his audience with much onstage banter. Instead, he opted to sequentially lead his band through key tracks from the new album, including “All to God,” “Shooting Star” and “Ha Ha.”

“Someday you’ll find out who you are / Someday you’ll be more than just a shooting star,” sings Simon in “Shooting Star.” Chances are, Simon a) has already found out ‘who he is’ and b) is more than just a shooting star, thanks in part to his famous lineage. But Simon is out to carve his own musical niche, which is most commendable.

Photo courtesy of the artist, via MySpace.