Jeff Tweedy at the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix
Seeing my favorite artists live in a full band setting is obviously one of life’s great thrills – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Steve Earle & the Dukes, Los Lobos, Wilco… But just as thrilling for me is witnessing more intimate showcases: the solo acoustic show. To be able to sit down and study the architect of the songs you love, as they play for you in a small theater – just the artist, a guitar and a microphone – you’re able to get a deeper understanding of the artist and his work.
I’ve had the privilege to sit and watch my favorites in these intimate-type settings: Springsteen on the Tom Joad and Devils and Dust tours, Steve Earle on several occasions, David Hidalgo & Louis Perez at a small theater in Tucson – and last night, Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy.
I’ve followed Jeff and his band since Mermaid Avenue bowled me over in 1998. From that point, I’ve devoured everything they’ve released. For me, it all comes back around to that one unique characteristic: the golden, sweet & raspy vocal chords of Jeff Tweedy.
Last night, in the ornate and acoustically divine Orpheum Theater in downtown Phoenix, the voice was in prime form, filling the small venue – from low whispers to tuneful wails. I don’t mean to get all dramatic and schmaltzy on you all, but it was such a special experience for me and the several hundred that filled the theater. Outside of a few entertaining exchanges between songs, the crowd was perfectly quiet – letting each song live and breathe – with only the sounds of Tweedy’s voice and acoustic guitar wafting perfectly in the air.
Tweedy’s set list dipped into the Wilco songbook (e.g. “Passenger Side”, “A Shot in the Arm”, “Sunken Treasure”, “How To Fight Loneliness”, “Hummingbird”, “Impossible Germany”, “You & I”), his own solo material (“Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard”), Uncle Tupelo (“”Acuff-Rose”), as well as his side project/”supergroup” Golden Smog (“Please Tell My Brother” was one of the most poignant moments).
One great spontaneous moment came when he veered from the set list for a cover of the Handsome Family’s “So Much Wine”, a dark Christmas tale of a broken relationship. I had never heard the original, and clearly I was missing out on some wonderful lyrics: “Where the state highway starts I stopped my car / I got out and stared up at the stars / As meteors died and shot ‘cross the sky / I thought about your sad, shining eyes.” Picture Tweedy singing this in a mournful country shuffle… it was magic.
Another special moment came with “Jesus, etc.”, as Jeff shared vocal duties with the crowd. It wasn’t the messy sing-a-long you’ve heard at some shows. Rather, it was a very clear and succinct, spot-on rendition, and it made the small venue feel even smaller and more intimate.
After wrapping up “I’m the Man Who Loves You” (dedicated to his wife Susie, who was in attendance with his family), Jeff stepped away from the mic for the last couple of songs, standing at the edge of the stage with no PA. “This is what it’ll be like when we lose power”, he joked, referring to a post-apocalyptic world.
This moment summed up the entire evening… here was one of the most gifted singer-songwriters of our generation, in a one-off performance – and it wasn’t about the glitz and glamor of a rock ‘n roll band. It wasn’t about effects. And hell, it wasn’t even about amplification.. It was a man and his guitar singing his songs, playing from the heart and soul, and connecting with each and every one of us lucky enough to be in attendance.
Photos: Photographer Holly Carlyle snapped some incredible photographs from the evening. Check them out here.
Set List (thanks to azcentral):
Sunken Treasure
Remember The Mountain Bed
Please Tell My Brother
Hummingbird
Country Disappeared
The Ruling Class
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard
You and I
Muzzle of Bees
How To Fight Loneliness
Impossible Germany
In A Future Age
Passenger Side
So Much Wine
Spiders (Kidsmoke)
A Shot in the ArmEncore:
Heavy Metal Drummer
Jesus, Etc.
I’m the Man Who Loves You
Someone Else’s Song
Acuff-RoseRemembering Joe Strummer / Live Clash from Jamaica
Today marks the seventh anniversary of Joe Strummer‘s untimely death at the age of 50 (due to a heart defect). To mark the occasion, and to celebrate the legend – born John Graham Mellor in Ankara, Turkey – here’s a nice boot from the Clash at the height of their popularity.
Touring behind their hit album Combat Rock, the tour took them through Montego Bay, Jamaica for the Jamaican World Music Festival. The Grateful Dead had headlined the night before, and this night, it was the Clash’s turn.
According to the Clash resource Black Market Clash, the “Bob Marley Centre” was nothing more than an immense gravel parking lot with a stage at one end. Earlier acts of the evening included Rick James, Jimmy Buffett, the English Beat, and Bob Weir’s band, Bobby and the Midnites. By the time the Clash came on, it was closing in on dawn.
Rest in Peace Joe…
The Clash at the Jamaican World Music Festival (ZIP)
Bob Marley Centre – Montego Bay, JA
November 27, 1982Introduction
London Calling
Police on My Back
The Guns of Brixton
Magnificent 7
Armagideon Time
The Magnificent 7
Junco Partner
Spanish Bombs
One More Time
Train In Vain
Bankrobber
This is Radio Clash
Clampdown
Should I Stay or Should I Go
Rock the Casbah
Straight to Hell
I Fought the LawWhen Doves Cry / Beautifully Broken
It’s been a while since I’ve discovered a gem in my own music library – one that I don’t recall ever hearing. I’ve listened to Gov’t Mule’s 2003 live album (Deepest End: Live in Concert) before, but I don’t remember hearing what I heard tonight: a slow and bluesy “When Doves Cry” sung by Warren Haynes. Prince’s classic tune bookends the tune “Beautifully Broken”. Only the chorus is sung, but the way it weaves its way into the full song makes it one of the best interpretations of a Prince tune I’ve heard.
I’m sure there are a few groups in the jam band scene that have tackled Prince’s music. The only cover that comes to mind is Phish’s take on “Purple Rain”, which always seemed like more of an attempt to be humorous than a respectful and heartfelt interpretation of the work (must be the vacuum cleaner solo).
With an artist like Warren Haynes though, you can bet that he’ll put his heart and soul into any song he performs – and it’s evident here with “When Doves Cry” and “Beautifully Broken”. There’s a passion in the vocals and every pluck of his guitar string. And with a heavy duty powerhouse like Gov’t Mule backing it all up – well – I’m damn sure I’ll have this on regular rotation for some time to come.
Video: Bob Dylan’s “Must Be Santa”
Okay, I acknowledge that this video has been out for about a month now, and I didn’t get around to watching it until tonight (along with the Muppets take on “Bohemian Rhapsody”). I can now attest that after one viewing, you may consider my opinion of both videos as “awesome”…
Chromeo’s Night by Night
I finally got around to checking out this new Chromeo tune over at Gonzo’s site, and I like what I’m hearing. For anyone who has any part of their musical sensibilities rooted in 80’s funk & electro – and you’re interested in hearing a modern twist on it – then Chromeo is your band…
Christmas in New Orleans with Kermit Ruffins
So it turns out December 12th is the date of my first foray into Christmas music this year. It also happens to be the day I put my Christmas lights up – as well as that lit up metallic deer that swivels his head back and forth. Ho ho ho, people!
I trust and hope that a lot of you have been visiting Popdose’s annual month-long immersion into all that is not so good about Christmas music. Jeff and Jason’s Mellowmas series is a required visit this holiday season, so go over and check them out.
As for my family and me – other than daily viewings of Mamma Mia! (we just discovered it, and seriously, we can’t get enough), it’s Kermit Ruffins‘ new Christmas album that is helping us get into that Christmas spirit. It’s good seasonal music like this that helps me shed the layers of stress and anxiety that seem to crop up every December. It’s the Music that pinpoints that part of my brain that absolutely loves the Christmas season – the excitement, the atmosphere, the gathering of loved ones… it certainly helps to have two young daughters bouncing off the walls in anticipation – but it’s also the music that helps me see beyond the dollar signs, and actually enjoy the holiday season.
If you’re from New Orleans, you damn sure know who Kermit Ruffins is. He’s a fixture on the local scene, blowing his trumpet every Thursday night at Vaughns’s, then cooking BBQ for everyone after the gigs. Outside of New Orleans, Kermit may not be a household name, but you’d do yourself good to track down some of his music for some genuine Louisiana flavor.
The Christmas album, Have a Crazy Cool Christmas, has your standard holiday tunes – “Winter Wonderland”, “Silent Night”, “O Christmas Tree”, “Jingle Bells”, “Let It Snow”, “Little Drummer Boy” – all dipped into a jazzy, dixieland, cajun gumbo. And there’s the originals – the title track, and the fun “A Saints Christmas” – with the timely Christmas prayer to take the New Orleans Saints all the way to the Super Bowl.
Kermit also takes on this Louis Prima Christmas tune (Prima and the other Louis – Armstrong – are also from New Orleans)…
“What Will Santa Say (When He Finds Everybody Swingin’)”
Kermit Ruffins is one of the most passionate and talented New Orleans musicians out there today, so pick up his Christmas record – and feel good about supporting someone who’s stuck with the Crescent City through thick and thin. And if you’re in New Orleans on a Thursday night, stop by Vaughn’s for some tunes and barbecue courtesy of Kermit.
Open All Night as Bruce takes a rest
After the whirlwind schedule that Bruce and the Band have put themselves through the last couple of years, they’ve definitely earned some much needed R&R. And with some sort of hiatus underway (1 year? 2-3 years?), Boss Geeks like me start to speculate on what his next move might be. We know he can’t stay idle for too long, especially these days.
After The Rising Tour, 2005 and 2006 brought about two great albums and tours away from the E Street Band: Devils and Dust, and We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. Thankfully, Bruce made it through Phoenix on both tours. Seeing him solo was certainly a treat (as was the Tom Joad tour) – but that damn Seeger Sessions tour. Man oh man, what a show they put on!
Counting Bruce, the Sessions Band numbered 18 musicians & singers. Eighteen! It was a joyous concoction of sound, as they tackled old folk songs, new originals (“American Land” and “Long Walk Home” debuted), gospel music… and then there were the Seeger Sessions tweaks to Bruce’s catalog. Well, more like overhauls than tweaks… from “Blinded By The Light” to “Ramrod” and “The River”, the results always brought out new elements in the songs, and seeing them performed by so many on so many instruments – steel guitar, banjo, trumpets, trombones, and tubas…
One of the best examples is how Bruce modified “Open All Night”, a track from the sparse acoustic Nebraska album. It’s actually one of the more uptempo numbers on Nebraska. But the Sessions Band took the song to another level – a piano and horn driven stomper right out of the 1950’s.
I put on the Live in Dublin DVD earlier this evening as my family and I set up the Christmas tree. The Sessions Band had everyone shimmying and shaking, but “Open All Night” really got the joint rocking. I gotta confess, I enjoy this DVD as much as any E Street live DVD, and as far as speculating and hoping and wishing goes – I hope Bruce gets the Sessions Band together for another tour!
Here’s some evolution for ya – a trio of “Open All Night”…
Bruce Springsteen & the Sessions Band – Open All Night – from Live In Dublin
Bruce Springsteen – Open All Night (mp3) – from Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen – Open All Night (mp3) – Short outtake from the Nebraska sessions
Ick’s Pick: Jesse Johnson’s Verbal Penetration
As a Prince-obsessed maniac since the age of Purple Rain, I’ve always been interested in following those he helped spawn back in the day. The Time were obviously the most talented of the bunch, and a sizable contributor to the feel and sound of the band – along with Prince, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – was guitarist Jesse Johnson.
After the success of Ice Cream Castle (which featured “The Bird” and “Jungle Love”, tunes co-written by Jesse), he left the group for a solo deal with A&M Records. His body of work has always ranked up there as my favorite – his first two albums, Jesse Johnson’s Revue and Shockadelica, are classic Minneapolis synth-funk. Also solid were his other two studio efforts: 1988’s Every Shade of Love and 1996’s Bare My Naked Soul.
Except for a 2000 greatest hits collection, Jesse has been quiet all these years – that is, until Verbal Penetration came along. I know, I know, the album title is pretty cringe-worthy at first glance. But after picking it up earlier this week, I’m here to tell you – this is a fantastic collection of neosoul, retro-funk and R&B. It’s 29 tracks spanning two discs, and clocks in at almost two hours, and you quickly succumb to the verbal penetration ride that Jesse wants to take you on.
At the forefront is Jesse’s prolific guitar work. It’s been 13 years since his last studio album, and this album burns with a funky ferocity that feels like Jesse’s been bottling up this energy all these years, and he’s finally been uncorked. Case in point is the instrumental “Merciful” – where a smooth, simmering groove sets the backdrop for a jaw-dropping guitar solo that kicks off 25 seconds into the song, and doesn’t let up until the song finishes at almost 5 minutes.
There are so many highlights, and I’m just a few listens in… Check out “Sheila Rae,” a dose of warm and sunny pop/funk with synth horns and some catchy female backing vocals (which show up a lot on this album).
“1000 Watts of Funky” is old school – you guess it – funk, paying obvious homage to Sly & the Family Stone.
There’s “Ali vs. Frasier”, where Jesse puts on his Wes Montgomery hat and kills with some jazz guitar.
“Letter From a Soldier (Reprise)” and “Love Letters” mashup classic Curtis Mayfield vibes with smooth neosoul grooves.
Even the strange ones are captivating. There’s “Redemption for the Soul, Enlightenment for the Earhole”, a tale set in the far future where music is banned. It is the “Days of the Deafening Quiet”, after the “Great Last War left the Nurennus Realm in control”. It’s narrated by French-Norwegian artist Jezabella Kipp-Messmer, and her accent will confuse, possibly annoy, and probably mesmerize you. What’s truly mesmerizing is the funky sounds backing up the story.
Verbal Penetration is a welcome surprise from a familiar old friend. It sizes up well against Prince’s post-2000 output, and even far exceeds it at points. Jesse’s hiatus hasn’t diminished his talent and potency in any way whatsoever. If you have a little purple in you, do yourself a favor and pick it up.
Buy: Verbal Penetration
Visit: JesseJohnson.com
Video: Steve Earle at Amoeba Records
I knew I subscribed to Amoeba’s video RSS feed for a reason! Once in a while, they post a gem. Case in point today: Steve Earle.
Here’s Steve’s 45 minute in-store performance from back in May. But be sure to check out the insightful 13 minute interview too, where he discusses his early years as a Nashville songwriter, his former drug habit, The Wire, Radiohead’s refusal to play “Creep”, and even Telluride, Colorado.
In the words of Steve: Telluride is “too high to support intelligent life. I’ve seen that proven over and over and over again.” Good thing my folks only live there five months out of the year!
In-Store Set List:
Taneytown
Rex’s Blues (Townes Van Zandt)
Fort Worth Blues
Pancho & Lefty (TVZ)
Brand New Companion (TVZ)
Rich Man’s War
Lungs (TVZ)
Copperhead RoadGreetings From Asbury Park, NJ (the Buffalo Tour Finale)
For those interested in downloading Sunday’s tour finale in Buffalo (where Bruce and the band performed Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ), head on over to super top-notch blog Addicted to Vinyl, where Matt’s got a zip file of goodness for you…
Greetings from Buffalo, NY (Addicted to Vinyl)
If you’re looking for other full album shows, don’t forget my recent posts:
Darkness in Philly (10/22/09, Philadelphia)
Bruce Takes NYC Down To The River (11/08/09, NYC)
Bruce’s Wild & Innocent Night in NYC (11/07/09, NYC)Looks like we still need Born to Run and Born In The U.S.A., eh?
