The Revivalist’s David Shaw Returns To Nantucket For Solo Shows At The Chicken Box This Weekend
David Creed •
As David Shaw and The Revivalists continue to grow their following – selling out some of the world’s largest venues – one thing that has never changed is the relationship they have with The Chicken Box and its co-owner Packy Norton.
“I've known Packy for probably close to 13 years now and my love for that man and what he does over there and what he does for us and what he does for the island has only grown over the years," said Shaw, the lead vocalist for the rock band that was formed in 2009. "Sometimes it goes the other way. Sometimes you realize, 'Oh man, I don't know about this guy (at other venues),’ but certainly the opposite for Packy. He's just a sweetheart. His heart is as big as that island, and he just takes care of his people. He's one of those people that if you're in a bind, you can call Packy. I don't even care if you're thousands of miles away. It's always a joy to be around his energy and his vibe. We love him dearly.”
That bond will bring Shaw back to the island this weekend for a pair of solo shows at the Box on Friday, September 5th, and Saturday, September 6th. While The Revivalists continue to come every year as a group, this is the first time Shaw has returned for solo performances since 2022. He said he brought the idea up to Norton while plans were being made for The Revivalists' annual two-show run, which took place this year back in June.
“I was just like, 'Yo man I'd love to come out there if we can make it work. Let's make it happen,’" Shaw said "I know the bands already coming out there in June but let's see if we can make it work… and now we're making it happen.”
Shaw said his show will consist of many songs from his new album – ‘Take A Look Inside’ – while also playing some older songs from his previous album.
“It's going to be a good time man. We're super stoked,” Shaw said. “It's very much an introspective album. It goes into some pretty deep things, but we still keep the party going. You get to see a little bit of a different side to Dave, maybe a softer side, which is maybe not what the Box is used to. But I think that this is a really, really special album for me. The music and the songs came to me during a time in my life where I was really kind of trying to figure some stuff out. I was going through a tough time. After that pandemic, a lot of people's worlds got flipped upside down for one reason or another. I was kind of in that category a little bit. I think a little bit was self-inflicted, but I definitely think I came out of it in a better place because of just the songs and the music and the friends and just the people I have around me, and Packy is one of them.”
Shaw said in a lot of ways, his solo shows aren’t much different from the full shows with The Revivalists. But he said the songs will be different and that he won’t play any Revivalists songs aside for one, and that the show is more acoustically driven.
“It's a little folkier," Shaw said. "I'm behind a guitar mostly for this show and with the Revs it's a little less where I'm like 30 percent behind with the guitar and 70 percent running all over the place.”
As Norton recalled it last year while speaking to the Current, the relationship with Shaw and The Revivalists began in Boston in 2013 when Norton was taking in a Galactic concert. Galactic, formed in 1994, is also from New Orleans, and Ben Ellman, the band's saxophone player, did production work for The Revivalists when they formed in 2007 and recorded their albums. Eventually, The Revivalists tapped Shaw to sing with them on the road in 2013 – including a concert in Boston that Norton was attending. Shaw made a strong first impression.
"He sang When The Levee Breaks for Galactic and I go to Ben 'Who the f**k is that,’" Norton said last year. "Ben Ellman was like ‘This is David Shaw and he has his own band called The Revivalists in New Orleans.’ I immediately got them to play and was just like 'we are doing this.'
“All the other shows you see me and I'm walking around but this one, I just shut the door behind me and I look at people and they know this is a show I’m watching,” Norton added.
Shaw and The Revivalists play at some of the most iconic establishments in the world – selling out legendary venues such as the Red Rocks Amphitheater, opening for The Rolling Stones, performing on prominent late-night shows such as Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Conan, and producing new albums such as Men Amongst Mountains that have garnered millions of streams. Even after experiencing all of that, he said playing at the Chicken Box is unique, special, and never gets old.
"Not every venue owner is like Packy," Shaw said. "We don't get the Packy treatment everywhere we go, you know what I'm saying? The guy literally picks us up at the airport. Then it is just the bar itself. The wood, the walls, they've seen some amazing shows. People know what to expect when they come there, and the artists deliver. I think Packy curates a really, really great summer series. He kind of just wields that energy all summer and I'm just happy to be coming there at the tail end, kind of after summer but damn, this is damn near a local show. I love that and can’t wait to see everybody.”
When asked if he ever envisions a scenario when he would stop coming to Nantucket to perform, Shaw’s answer was quick and simple.
“Yeah I think we are going to be performing here for a while,” Shaw said. “I think we’re locked in.”
