Melissa Etheridge performs at The Birchmere on Nov. 27, 2018. (Photo by Paivi Salonen)
Watching Melissa Etheridge on Tuesday evening at the Birchmere, one becomes aware of her phenomenal level of talent. Her husky vocals, a Great Plains-inflected Janis Joplin, have lost nothing, and they are especially impressive in a live performance. Melissa is a triple threat, however: She’s a monster guitar who plays blazing solos, and she writes fantastic songs.