Watch Ryan Adams Perform a ‘Black Metal Version’ of Whiskeytown’s ‘16 Days’
On Saturday (May 23), Ryan Adams treated fans in Bend, Ore., to a special rendition of Whiskeytown favorite, “16 Days.” Dubbed the “black metal version” and deemed one of his “proudest musical achievements,” Adams gave the tune a complete makeover -- check it out in the video above.
“16 Days” appeared on Whiskeytown’s 1997 sophomore effort, Strangers Almanac. If you’re searching for a comparison to give context to Adams' new take, watch the singer-songwriter's performance of the song during a 2011 visit to the Late Show With David Letterman, where he served up a more faithful rendition:
It’s hardly the first time Adams has put an unexpected twist on one of his more beloved cuts. For Record Store Day, he released a 7” featuring “Come Pick Me Up” -- from his 2000 solo debut, which arrived around the same time as Whiskeytown’s breakup -- as the A-side. The RSD take stays true to the original until the very end when Adams adopts a vocal style more akin to the one he delivered in Bend on Saturday night. Take a listen here.
Adams recently announced the latest single in his ongoing Pax-Am series. “Burn in the Night” -- which will be backed with “Cop City” and “Look in the Mirror” -- is slated to arrive on June 23.
Describing the forthcoming single, the singer wrote, “‘Burn in the Night’ is me ruminating on an old NYC love lost -- and how funny it is to get older and sort of put some of that behind you -- but never really getting as far behind you as you’d like.”