David Lindley Honors Warren Zevon with a Reflective Live Performance in Copenhagen
On September twenty seventh, two thousand twelve, David Lindley took the stage at Amager Bio in Copenhagen and delivered a deeply respectful performance of The Indifference of Heaven, a song written by his longtime friend and collaborator Warren Zevon. This concert moment stands as a quiet but powerful tribute, shaped by shared history and musical understanding rather than spectacle.
The Indifference of Heaven was first recorded live by Warren Zevon for his nineteen ninety three unplugged album Learning to Flinch and later appeared in studio form on his nineteen ninety five album Mutineer. The song is known for its stark emotional clarity and its unsentimental look at loss, acceptance, and the passing of time. Lindley approached the material with restraint, allowing the words and melody to carry their full weight without embellishment.
David Lindley’s connection to Zevon ran deep. Over the years, Lindley contributed to many recordings within the Los Angeles singer songwriter circle, bringing his distinctive multi instrumental voice to projects by artists who valued nuance and honesty. His performance in Copenhagen reflects that background. Rather than attempting to replicate Zevon’s delivery, Lindley reshaped the song through his own musical language, marked by subtle phrasing and careful dynamics.
During the performance, Lindley also wove in an instrumental passage from Desperados Under the Eaves, a song originally released on Zevon’s nineteen seventy six self titled album. This brief musical reference added an extra layer of meaning, connecting different chapters of Zevon’s catalog without disrupting the flow of the piece. It served as a quiet acknowledgment of Zevon’s broader body of work and his enduring influence.
The setting at Amager Bio suited the tone of the performance. Known for its clear acoustics and attentive audiences, the venue allowed Lindley’s nuanced playing and expressive timing to be fully appreciated. The audience response was measured and respectful, reflecting an understanding that this was a moment of reflection rather than celebration.
This live recording from Copenhagen captures David Lindley not as a virtuoso seeking attention, but as a musician honoring a friend through faithful interpretation. The Indifference of Heaven emerges here as a song that continues to resonate years after its creation, carried forward by artists who understand its emotional core.
In this performance, Lindley demonstrated how songs can outlive their creators, finding new voices while retaining their original truth. It stands as a testament to the lasting bond between two artists and to the quiet power of music rooted in shared experience.