You never know what to expect when you attend a Susan Werner concert. That’s because the multitalented singer-songwriter has written 12 albums of original songs, ranging from folk/rock to gospel, country, chamber music, and more. National Public Radio dubbed her “The Empress of the Unexpected.”
What you can expect to experience when Werner performs concerts at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Nov. 25 at SPACE in Evanston is a charismatic performer who loves to connect with her audiences.
Werner indicated that her diverse writing styles are key to her productivity.
“To me, it’s part of why the songs keep coming,” Werner said. “After I finish a record, I don’t know what the next record’s going to be. Inevitably there’s a romance with a style of music. Once I feel that begin to happen, there’s a moment of excitement but also a moment of dread, cause then I know I’m going to have to write this record.”
Werner cited the example of how her album “An American in Cuba” came to be.
“I went to Cuba in 2015. I didn’t have plans of writing any Cuban anything,” she said. “But once I got there, I was bowled over by the whole thing and had to go back twice more.”
That’s typical of Werner’s concept albums which “offer travelogues,” she explained, “either geographically or psychologically.”
Her next album, scheduled to come out in February, is based on her visits to family members who moved to Texas.
Embracing those different “travelogues” keeps Werner’s music interesting to her, she indicated — and definitely to her fans.
Werner has a basic philosophy for how she treats her audiences. “Show people a good time,” she said. “They drove, they bought a ticket, they bought dinner and drinks.”
The multitalented performer plans to present to SPACE audiences “an encyclopedia of what can happen in three minutes and thirty seconds,” she said. That’s the average length of a song.
Werner will be offering selections from different phases of her career. She noted that in that short space of time, “You can be funny. You can tell a heartbreaking story. You can make an observation about contemporary society. There’s a lot you can do in three minutes.”
Werner said she particularly enjoys shows where something happens that never happened before. “If someone starts singing along and they’re real good, I’ll pull them up,” she said. “If somebody begins dancing — wonderful! I’ll play an extra chorus for them to keep dancing.”
“It’s all about being in the moment,” Werner explained. “That’s where the joy of a live show really is.”
Werner concluded, “It’s really an honor to be a songwriter and to lay out a narrative where people see their own lives. I can tell when an audience is doing that. They sit very still and you can see their eyes — it’s almost like they’re retrieving memories. That the goal — to make a beautiful mirror for people to see themselves. That’s what the best songs do.”
When asked what the best thing is about being Susan Werner, the performer laughed heartily before declaring, “I don’t know what’s going to happen next.”
Susan Werner
When: 4 and 8 p.m. Nov. 25
Where: SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston
Tickets: $22-$48
Information: 847-492-8860; evanstonspace.com
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
