You can leave your hat at home

Randy Newman has always been something of a grumpy old man, even when the singer and pianist was still an angry young man. More than forty years after his debut, he still has that sardonic grin on his face, even though the master-satirist is old and grey himself now. The 68 year old author of immortal stuff like “Lonely at the Top”, “Short People”, and “Birmingham” only releases new work sporadically; he has been far too busy making soundtracks to Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, and Monsters Inc. the last couple of years. Fortunately, his ironic view of his homeland, veiled in charming piano pop, is still as relevant as ever, as was shown on 2008’s Harps and Angels. Here’s hoping he leaves that one song about a hat at home when he sits down at his Steinway in his beloved Belgium.

Randy Newman 25/2, 20.00, €34/35,
ANCIENNE BELGIQUE, boulevard Anspachlaan 110, Brussel/Bruxelles,
02-548.24.24, info@abconcerts.be, www.abconcerts.be