Josh Ritter in Philadelphia and Boston, Feb. 10 and 11

Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band, opening night in Philly

  What should one expect from a Valentine's Day Brawl? Love, roses,  a nice slow-dance sax solo, and of course some heartache because this ain't no Hallmark celebration. This was Josh Ritter's tell-it-like-it-is idea of Valentine's Day, and it was quite a party.
  I was lucky enough to catch the first two of four of these events -- in Philly and Boston. Josh not only brought his crack band but also a three-piece horn section, and set the mood with roses draped on all the mikes.

Josh and Zack rockin' the Troc

  The Trocadero in Philadelphia, known locally as just the Troc, is nice old theater with a lot of history and some beautiful architecture, including swooping balconies and detailed columns. It made for an interesting contrast to the sort of cookie-cutter House of Blues in Boston the next night. Both venues had their advantages, the Troc's was the intimacy of its building. The House of Blues is a bigger venue (2,400 patrons to the Troc's 1,200) with impeccable sound so the HOB show really felt like a rock SHOW. At both places the crowd was right there for Josh as he led them through love's travails.
  The set lists for the two nights were similar though not the same (see below), and there was plenty of individuality to make them special. For one, Josh, at two points in each show, read out valentine dedications sent in by fans who were going to those shows. The dedications were hilarious, ranging from sweet to bawdy. One person in Boston even proposed through a dedication (and was accepted!).
Since the shows followed similar set lists, I'll go through the shows together, pointing out the highlights and differences as I go.
  Both shows opened with Josh bounding on stage -- dressed nattily in a vest over a red shirt with a rose in his lapel and even red socks! -- for one of his ultimate love songs (how many of these does he have?), "Bright Smile." It's amazing how he grabs the audience's attention right away... they see him out there alone and they immediately quiet down to hear him. At the Troc, the crowd sang along unobtrusively (mostly, more on this later) to every song. Josh's voice rang out but underneath you could hear the audience basking in the love of his lyrics.
  The band took the stage to roars from the crowds for the next tune. In Philly it was "Long Shadows" followed by "Lillian," in Boston the order was swapped, and seemed to fit better. "Lillian," played with rockin' delight by Josh's great band is a treat. At HOB, it just roared, a great piano solo by Sam Kassirer, and guitarist Austin Nevins was just on fire all night.
  "Southern Pacific" and "The Curse" were next. Beautiful renditions -- Josh waltzing by himself to the beautiful piano and bass lines of "The Curse." This led into the first set of dedications back by the still waltzing music of band. At the Troc, the last one read "Roses are red, violets are blue, hopefully not my balls"... something like that. The crowd was in hysterics.
  "Empty Hearts" followed, and then the highlight of both nights: the three-song killer of "Real Long Distance," "Rattling Locks" and "Harrisburg." A three-member horn section (trumpet and two saxes) torched these songs, rocking both venues to their core. This is where the HOB shined. Despite the volume and the number of players on stage, you could hear every instrument, crystal-clear. On "Rattling Locks," bassist Zack Hickman led the charge of musicians, including the horn players, cracking drumsticks together in percussive bliss. If Josh is the emotional leader of the band, Zack is the physical leader, making sure the show runs smoothly, and an incredibly talented musician. "Harrisburg," one of my all-time favorite tunes, including a very funny Josh story-song interlude that led in and out of the Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime."
  The band then brought the crowd down with a beautiful "Folk Bloodbath" before leaving the stage for Josh to work his magic again.
  At both shows, Josh opened the solo portion of the sets with "You Don't Make It Easy, Babe." In Philly, he dedicated the song to Sarah Palin, Queen of Alaska. He followed this with an acoustic "Thin Blue Flame," which he didn't play in Boston. The crowd was hushed as Josh worked his lyrical magic. The two shows continued with "Temptation of Adam" and a "Naked as a Window/Girl in the War" pairing that was amazing. In Boston, he poignantly dedicated "Girl in the War" to the people of Egypt. These songs, to me, really showed the difference in the intimacy of the crowds. In Philly, fans sang along with every word. In fact, they sang beautifully on "Girl in the War" except for one dude who kept shouting the lyrics before they were sung. It was funny at first, annoying by the end and then he was shut down. In Boston, the crowd really came to party. They were polite and sang along with the quiet songs, but lived for the rock.
  The band returned to the stage, but not to their instruments for the next song, a lush cover of Velvet Underground's "Pale Blue Eyes." Sam, Zack, Austin and drummer Liam Hurley stepped up to a side mike to sing harmonies on the chorus. They returned to their instruments for the next set of dedications, backing them with Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." In Boston, this is where the proposal was made. It was pretty cool.

Matt Douglas' slow-dance sax solo on "Kathleen"

  Then it was back to rock. "Rumors" and "Right Moves" were blistering. The band was in high gear. The horns reappeared and took these songs to a new level. In Boston, the horn players were totally in to it, dancing and goofing in time to the music.
  And then there was "Kathleen," ever the crowd-pleaser. This time it was intro'd by the band, slow and quiet, as Josh worked the crowd into a lather. First, regaling the crowd with tales of love -- from a pigeon's standpoint. A male pigeon flies down, puffs himself for the females, who basically ignore them. He then warned the crowd there would be slow dance mid-song and promised it wouldn't be too awkward. Boom. Liam hits the kit and away the band sails into "Kathleen" full-on... and then mid-song the band quiets and Matt Douglas on baritone sax, steps to the front and delivers a jazzy slow-dance solo.
  You think you've come to the end of the night. There were peaks and breaks and peaks again. But the band played on. "Lantern," "Change of Time," and "To the Dogs" in different order (this is Boston's, and seemed to work best.) On "Lantern," folks swayed glowsticks to the beat. "To the Dogs" simply rocked, the crowd trying to keep up with the breakneck-speed lyrics.
  With that the band left the stage, but of course would be back.
In Boston, Josh unveiled a new song, "Galahad" (there's an animated video of the song HERE). He didn't play it in Philly (I think he ran out of time). Scott Hutchison of the band Frightened Rabbit, who was a great opener (need to hear more!), came out to perform an Everly Brothers cover "Stories We Could Tell," with Josh. Hutchison left, the band came back and ripped through "Snow Is Gone," a wishful, final valentine to their fans.  More than two hours of music finally over, the crowd left jubilantly into the chilly night.

Check out my pics HERE

"Temptation of Adam" at The Troc

"Pale Blue Eyes" at the House of Blues"

Setlists for the two shows
The Trocadero, Philadelphia, Feb. 10

Bright Smile (solo)

Long Shadows (band joins in)

Lillian

Southern Pacific

The Curse

(Valentine dedications)

Empty Hearts

Real Long Distance

Rattling Locks -->

Harrisburg (with Talking Heads' Once in A Lifetime interlude)

Folk Bloodbath

You Don't Make It Easy Babe (solo)

Thin Blue Flame (solo)

Temptation of Adam (solo)

Naked as a Window (solo) -->

Girl in the War (solo)

Pale Blue Eyes (Velvet Underground cover; band joins in)

(more valentine dedications)

Rumors

Right Moves

Kathleen

To the Dogs

Lantern

Change of Time

--

Stories We Could Tell (Everly Brothers cover w/Scott Hutchison)

Snow Is Gone (full band)

House of Blues, Boston, Feb. 11

Bright Smile (solo)

Lillian (full band)

Long Shadows

Southern Pacific

The Curse 

(Valentines dedications)

Empty Hearts

Real Long Distance

Rattling Locks -->

Harrisburg (with Talking Heads' Once in A Lifetime interlude)

Folk Bloodbath

You Don't Make It Easy Babe (solo)

Temptation of Adam (solo)

Naked as a Window (solo) -->

Girl in the War

Pale Blue Eyes (Velvet Underground cover; full band joins in)

(Valentines dedications)
Rumors

Right Moves

Kathleen

Lantern

Change of Time

To the Dogs 

--

Galahad (new song; solo)

Stories We Could Tell (Everly Brothers cover w/Scott Hutchison)

Snow Is Gone (full band)

Lissie at the Paradise, Boston

  The second show of my weekend concert extravaganza was quite different than the first. Instead of the sold out large-theater setting of the House of Blues for the Decemberists, I was a mile or so up Comm. Ave. at the more intimate and comfortably crowded Paradise Rock Club, where a heavily college-age crowd eagerly anticipated the singer-songwriter known only as Lissie.
  If you haven't heard of her, you probably will soon. If you know her already, either you were there at the show or you at least thought about going. I first heard about her early last year from a work colleague who is always ahead of the curve on these things. Once I listened to her "Why You Runnin'" EP, she quickly became one of my "6 Artists to Watch" (in the March issue of Modern Acoustic; click HERE to read the issue).
  For those who haven't heard of her, Lissie's sort of a hippie chick in the sense that she doesn't wear any makeup, doesn't shave her armpits or legs (her own admission on stage!), and doles out advice about living in the moment and "not letting shit bother you" (also her quote).
  As stated, the crowd at the Paradise was mostly college-age kids and heavily female in gender, who exuberently screamed out "WE LOVE YOU" and "YOU'RE SO HOT" with regularity. And the singer, in turn, spread The Word of Lissie, happily doling out advice (Lissie's in her late 20s, so she's got a lifetime of wisdom to impart): "Don't get STDs," "Don't get pregnant, unless you want to," and the best one, "Don't get drunk and end up in the back seat of some dude's car. Make sure you get yourself home... and then you can hurl.") She said this all in a very loving way. She really cares.
  Now on to the show... On record, Lissie sports a soulful voice, singing material that ranges from country to bluesy, and the songs themselves tend to live in that same country, gospel range. In concert, she becomes a powerhouse. The music is amped up with a more danceable beat behind her. You might think Lissie would get lost in all that, but you really haven't heard the best of her until you see her live. That soulful voice booms. It rises and falls easily with the music. She uses her arms, specifically her guitar-strumming hand as an exclamation point to her lyrics. Her head sways back, forth, left and right with feeling, her long, blond hair ending up covering her face, until she gently brushes it away in the quiet of a moment.
  She opened with a cover, "Wedding Bells," by Hank Williams, and ended with another, the Kid Cudi tune "Pursuit of Happiness," which is a staple of her shows and had the crowd in full frenzy.
  In between, while I don't have complete setlist at this time, she played a number of the tunes from her two recordings. "Little Lovin'," the bluesy "Oh Mississippi" (which she called an "ode to death"!), and "Everywhere I Go" from "Why You Runnin'" were superb. "When I'm Alone," "Bully," and "In Sleep," from "Catching a Tiger," could all make pop radio if they were given the dance beat they were given in concert.
   To me, Lissie has potential to be whatever she wants. Would she put up with being polished and primped up to make it as a pop artist? Is she happy being a soulful singer-songwriter outside the mainstream? We'll have to wait to see where she goes from here.
To view my pics from the show, click HERE

Lissie doing Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" (not from Paradise show)

The Decemberists at the House of Blues, Boston, Jan. 28, 2011

  "Apparently, we ruined indie," declared the Decemberists enigmatic lead singer Colin Meloy, in the middle of a small run of new songs off their new latest album, "The King Is Dead" early in the show. Meloy was referring to a recent, hilarious article in the Boston Phoenix blaming Meloy and his merry band of misfits for ruining "music doesn't mean anything" indie rock with their influential and wildly popular brand of  "trying too hard" prog-folk. The article goes on to accuse the Decemberists of spawning bands like Fleet Foxes, the National and Blitzen Trapper. (Read the Phoenix article HERE.)
  Whether you think the article is funny or just stupid, may depend on your sense of humor and your love for the band's "British"-sounding tales of long ago and its dramatic flair. In fact, the new album drops much of that for a more stripped-sound and alt-country feel of harmonicas, 12-string guitars and beautiful harmonies.
  Which brings us to Saturday night's show at the House of Blues, where Meloy led the small band version of the group through a too-short (72 minutes, to be exact), but fun-filled night of music that spanned their 10-year career. (Ed. note: I learned after the fact that Meloy reportedly had the stomach flu, causing the show to be cut short.)
   After opening with "July, July," from one of their earliest albums, the group romped through  three new tunes off the new album, beginning with the single "Down By the Water," "Rox in the Box" and "Rise to Me." It was amazing how well this new sound fit the band live. Sara Watkins, who became a star with the band Nickel Creek," is a powerhouse and a good sport (more about this later) and provided the Gillian-Welch-sung backup vocals on "King Is Dead" songs as well as some great violin solos.
   Not to be locked in on the new album, the Decemberists then launched into two of their great story-songs, "The Engine Driver" and "The Soldiering Life."
  After another new tune, "All Arise!," much of the band traded their instruments for drums and rocked the house on the highlight of the night, "The Rake's Song" from "Hazards of Love." The huge percussion sound rung out through the venue.  This was followed by more fun tunes, "Valencia" and "The Chimbley Sweep," which got the crowd singing along "For I am a poor and a wretched boy!" Watkins was goaded by Meloy into multiple violin solos, and of course, the high-end woman's voice mid-song.
  Then they left the stage waving... It seemed like a little too soon. Maybe they'd be back for a bunch of encores?
  They did come back, for two songs: A fun "A Cautionary Tale" (see video below) had three members of the band (including the poor Watkins) parading into the crowd to perform a "tableaux of the wonders of the world." It was very goofy; and "June Hymn," an ode to summer during a nonstop horrendous New England winter.
  Then the lights came on and the show was over. A fun night that should have gone on a little longer.
To view my pics from the show, click HERE.

Setlist:
July, July!
Down By the Water
Rox in the Box
Rise to Me
Won't Want For Love (Margaret in the Taiga)
The Engine Driver
The Soldiering Life
All Arise!
This Is Why We Fight
The Rake's Song
O Valencia!
The Chimbley Sweep
----
A Cautionary Song
June Hymn

A Cautionary Song from the show (not my video):

Jackie Greene at the Paradise, 10-9-10

  "You guys are so rad. I'd forgotten just how rad you guys are!" That's what Jackie Greene told the pumped-up crowd at the Paradise last weekend. His last visit, in February, must have made as good an impression on him as it did us. Greene, for those who have not heard of him, flat out rocks. He is an amazing guitar player who can also play the keys, the harmonica and I'm guessing a bunch of instruments we haven't seen him play.  He's got a soulful, strong voice and a bunch of really thoughtful songs. He can rock, he can play acoustically, oh yeah, and he's played with members of the Grateful Dead, so he's got a following there as well.
  On this night he opened with an acoustic set featuring just him and his fellow guitar player. After opening with darkly confessional  "I Don't Live in a Dream" he asked the crowd for requests. As he tuned his guitar, enthusiastic shout-outs from the crowd had him chuckling and saying "yeah, we can do that," and initiated his "rad" statement. Among the requests honored was a Merle Haggard-inflected "Mama Tried" and his oldest song "Georgia." He also performed a beautiful "Spanish Harlem," the Dead's "Friend of the Devil" and dug deep for the set ending "Gone Wondering."
  A 15-minute break was enough time to catch your breath before the blistering electric set. Now sporting his full band, Greene opened with "I'm So Gone," "Medicine" and "A Moment of Temporary Color," the latter two from his new album, "Till the Light Comes." His own funky version of the Dead's "New Speedway Boogie" got the crowd juiced for what was to follow.
  He asked if anyone knew who's birthday it was today... but the crowd was way ahead of him, shouting out John Lennon songs he should play. A touching "Don't Let Me Down" was the perfect choice, a great crowd singalong and a great guitar solo. (See my video below).
  After that, he returned to earth with his tunes "Shaken" and "Shaky Ground" and then back to the stratosphere with his own "Hollywood" bleeding into the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows," full of swirling feedback, and an out-and-out rocking "Taxman," something we heard him do the last time he was in Boston. He finished up with the Dead's "Scarlet Begonias" to the thrill of the crowd and encored with his fan-favorite "Ball and Chain."
  This is the third time I've seen Jackie Greene live and he seems to gain confidence and has become more comfortable as a lead performer each time I see him. If you get a chance to take in his show, I highly recommend you check him out.
One more note: This was my first time in the newly refurbished Paradise. Any worries that it would lose any of its gritty club atmosphere was quickly dispelled. It has been slightly reconfigured to make more room in front of the stage, but other than that it really is same great space.

The setlist:
Set One (acoustic):
I Don't Live In A Dream
Judgement Day
Mama Tried
Don't Let The Devil Take Your Mind
Another Love Gone Bad
Friend of the Devil
Prayer For Spanish Harlem
Georgia
One Bad Love
Gone Wanderin'

Set Two (electric):
I'm So Gone
Medicine
A Moment Of Temporary Color
New Speedway Boogie
Don't Let Me Down
Shaky Ground
Shaken
Tell Me Mama, Tell Me Right
Hollywood > Tomorrow Never Knows > Taxman
Scarlet Begonias
-----
Like A Ball And Chain

To download the entire set, click HERE

Dave Rawlings Machine at the Paradise

Here's my surefire remedy for temporary relief of serious back pain: Start with some exquisite acoustic guitar solos. Add some beautiful harmonies. And a dash of dueling fiddles with some tasty harmonica.
This works so well you might even find yourself moving your hips a little when you could just barely stand upright hours earlier.
Yes, my solution has a name. It's the Dave Rawlings Machine and for three hours Saturday night at the Paradise I forgot all about my woes because Rawlings, backed by his more famous partner Gillian Welch and a trio of great musicians  -- fiddler Ketch Secor and bassist Morgan Jahnig from Old Crow Medicine Show and fiddler/guitarist Gabe Witcher of the Punch Brothers -- performed some serious magic onstage.
Gillian may be more popular with the masses but Rawlings guitar work is like no one else: it's melodic, it's intricate, it weaves in and out like Jerry Garcia used to do but never meanders. The group is absolutely tight. When Gillian is in charge (billed as Gillian Welch), she takes the lead and, yes, her vocal prowess is stronger than his. But the beauty of The Machine is that they really swing -- they almost rock those acoustic instruments.
I didn't keep a set list so I'll do what I can from memory.
First they started a little bit late when one of the roadies tripped over something, knocked over a table and nearly busted the bass. Once that was cleared up, on came the Machine starting off with "Monkey and the Engineer." Most of the set was made up of Dave's "A Friend of a Friend" album.  "I Hear Them All" was in there early with "This Land Is Your Land" sandwiched in the middle of the song.  The beautiful "Ruby" shined with Gillian's amazing harmony vocals backing his. She and Dave were just meant to sing together. They just seem to fill in each other's empty spaces like no pair I can think of.
Next they broke out the banjo (maybe for "It's Too Easy," not exactly sure) to roars of cheers from the crowd, and Gillian exclaiming that Boston is a banjo lovin' town.
One of my favorite moments was when the other musicians left the stage and Dave and Gill played their unreleased song, which I know as "Throw Me a Rope" (others call it "The Way It Should Be"). After the first verse, Gill stopped abruptly saying she couldn't go on because Dave's guitar was so out of tune. They started up again and that song is just mesmerizing. If Gill doesn't put out a new album soon and include that... well... I keep telling myself it's coming.
Then Gill got to lead a couple tunes of her own. A request for "Red Clay Halo" (the banjo again) and "Miss Ohio." And I think just before the end of the set, Gabe Witcher led the group through The Band's "Ophelia." It's funny I had just seen Witcher a week before with the Punch Brothers opening for Josh Ritter. I didn't recognize him fully until they mentioned who he was.
After a short break, they came back for a second set that included a bunch of songs about candy, including "Sweet Tooth," "Big Rock Candy Mountain" and a third one. Then the exquisite pair of "Method Acting"/"Cortez the Killer" and "How About You" was in there somewhere.
I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff, but it was all so great. I haven't said much about Ketch Secor, but his fiddle and harmonica playing adds so much to the sound as does his baritone voice. The main set ended with Dylan's "Queen Jane Aproximately."
They came back for two encores and the crowd was rocking. I've seen Gillian and Dave a couple times before but I've never seen such a rowdy, excited crowd -- and they knew almost all the words to the songs.
The first encore included three tunes: "Too Be Young (Is to be Sad)" and "The Weight" and I cannot remember the third -- maybe someone can recall.
They left the stage and came back again to a huge roar. They all stood center stage around one mike and sang the a cappella "Go to Sleep Little Baby," with the crowd clapping along and Gillian adding a stomp and a clap for emphasis. They left the stage again to more roars. It was a great night.
Please feel free to chime in if I missed something or have something wrong...
I'll post pics and/or a setlist when I find it.

Grace Potter at the House of Blues, Boston

                                                        Photo by Mallory Finley

This was a band supposedly jet-lagged.
Six months after  Grace Potter and the Nocturnals last played the House of Blues, the band returned to the venue just off a tour overseas and ripped through a two-hour set filled with soaring vocals and guitar-heavy highs. Despite comments about her jet lag, Grace sang and danced up a storm – moving easily from the center stage mike, with guitar or without, to her Hammond B3 – never missing a step, a lyric, a breath. She's Tina Turner for a new generation.
And she's finally backed by a band that can keep up with her. In the six months since I saw them last, the new Nocturnals – guitarists Scott Tournet and Benny Yurco, bassist Catherine Popper and drummer Matt Burr – have melded into a cohesive, dynamic group, adding power and finesse to new songs off the upcoming self-titled album as well as the fan favorites.
The group has transformed itself. The once neo-hippie jam band has grown up, dressed up and given itself a harder-rocking sheen. They can still jam, and do it well, but there is a little more pop attitude thrown into the mix. In my review of the band from November (HERE), I foresaw them as a female-led version of the Allman Brothers. I would now like to amend that. I think they are leaning more toward an early-'70s version of Heart. Nothing wrong with that.
Grace and Catherine Popper arrived on stage in swishy mini-dresses and heels (though for both the shoes came off somewhere around midpoint), the boys in suitcoats. They blasted through an early set of new and old songs, including band classic "Ah, Mary" and the new, reggae-ish "Goodbye Kiss." The band showed its ability to mix song styles, as it moved from more new tunes, the jammy "Oasis" and the poppy "One Short Night," to the blues of "2:22."
Grace was completely into it. Dancing wildly, arms over her head, jumping up and down in place. The main set's end was something to behold as the band tore through two more new songs, "Hot Summer Night" and "Paris," with confidence and authority. "Paris" featured some screaming guitar from Scott Tournet. And "Nothing But the Water" went from Grace singing alone to rip-roaring band accompaniment back to just Grace. She knows how to work an audience.
The encores were great as well. Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" seemed to be meant for them to cover. It was followed by another fan favorite, "Stop the Bus,'' and a super new tune, "Medicine," which is sure to be a showstopper for a long time.
This is a band on its way up. How far and which direction are the only questions.
The show if available for download HERE
View Mallory Finley's pics from the show HERE



Setlist (from This Is Somewhere blog)
Only Love
Sweet Hands
Goodbye Kiss
Ah, Mary
Mastermind
Oasis
Money
One Short Night
2:22
Apologies
Tiny Light
Big White Gate
Falling or Flying
Here's to the Meantime
Hot Summer Night
Paris
Nothing But the Water I & II
------
White Rabbit
Stop the Bus
Medicine

Jackie Greene at the Paradise

Jackie Greene (above, last night and, below, in 2008) at the Paradise.

The last time we saw Jackie Greene was in mid-2008. The young, chain-smoking kid took to the stage and showed off some great rockin' guitar chops and a strong, soulful voice. He performed mostly his own songs, from his then-new album "Giving Up the Ghost."
Last night, he took to that same Paradise stage, but the kid has grown up and it showed not only in his new shaggy facial hair but also in the maturity and depth of his music. Since the last time we saw him, Jackie has spent a bunch of time touring with the Dead's Phil Lesh and Friends and seemingly has learned a new way to present his songs and those of others. He has also seemed to gain a great amount of confidence as evidenced by his more engaging stage presence.
On Saturday, he played two sets instead of one, spanning 2 to 2 1/2 hours, covering not only his own songs but the iconic B.B. King tune "The Thrill Is Gone," a number of Grateful Dead songs and a pair of great Beatles covers. Jackie -- backed by a solid band of guitar, bass, and drums -- played electric and acoustic guitars, harmonica, and keyboards. And he played and sang all of the above in his own soulful style.
He started his first set with three original tunes "Don't Let the Devil Take Your Mind," "I'm So Gone," and "That Rusty Nail," and then launched into his first Dead song "New Speedway Boogie." Greene's version, which is available for free download on his website as part of a three-song EP, chugs along on modern groove. He then switched to acoustic guitar for a handful of tunes including his "Uphill Mountain," which included an awesome harmonica solo. He then ended the first set with "Thrill Is Gone," tossing off some B.B.-like guitar lines.
After a short break, Jackie and his band returned with a four-song set on keyboards, including "Shaken" and the bluesy "Tell Me Mama, Tell Me Later" He then launched into the stratosphere, using his full arsenal of guitars, starting with "Hollywood" and then seguing into an rocking version of the Beatles' psychedelic "Tomorrow Never Knows" and then into "Taxman." And just as the crowd seemed to be coming down from that high, Jackie took them higher with the Dead's "Scarlet Begonias." He finished the set with his "Ball and Chain" and came back for his encore of "Sugaree" to the crowd's absolute delight. He ended the night by thanking the audience, saying "Thanks for coming out, I know it's tough out there. We really appreciate it." The band took its bow and was gone.


The setlist (From Philzone.org)

Don't Let the Devil Take Your Mind
I'm so Gone
That Rusty Nail -->
New Speedway Boogie-->
Bird Song tease-->
New Speedway-->
Just as Well
I've Gone Wandering
Uphill Mountain
Ballad of Sleepy John
The Thrill is Gone

Farewell So Long Goodbye
Shaken
So Hard to Find my way
Tell Me Mama
Hollywood-->
Tomorrow Never Knows-->
Taxman-->
TMNK-->
Jan-->
Scarlet Begonias
Ball and Chain

Encore
Sugaree

The Big Surprise Tour, House of Blues Boston

On the night Paul McCartney was playing right across the street at Fenway Park, my wife and I instead took a left turn on Lansdowne Street, away from nostalgia and ended up in a rollicking, ramshackle hoedown called the Big Surprise Tour. OK, it wasn't a total surprise, I had bought tix months before when I heard Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings were going to be joined by Old Crow Medicine Show, the Felice Brothers and Justin Townes Earle in a seemingly free-for-all night of music.
First, an aside about the House of Blues: There are very few big venues in Boston that are able to feel like a club. For the most part, HOB works. The sound is terrific. It is a big place, packs a lot of people, but never seems overcrowded to the point that you can't move, and the sightlines, from just about anywhere are pretty good. I do wish the tall dudes would step to the back, and the beer, at $6, for a can of Bud, is way overpriced.
But I digress.
The show was amazing. The Felice Brothers, with help from various members of the Crow, started things off with the tour's signature song, "The Big Surprise." They then gave way to Justin Townes Earle, who played a few numbers and then brought out members of the Felice Brothers to help him with a gospel number to finish up.
By now we got the concept of the show. Each act would play a 20-30-minute set in which time various members of the other groups would come out and join them.
The Felice Brothers, who I had never heard before live (I had just listened to their latest album "Yonder Is the Clock"), proceeded to throw down some indie-rock/country/punk led by the diminutive, Dylan-esque growling Ian Felice. "Run Chicken Run" was a standout. Accordion/keyboard player James Felice deserves a shoutout as well.
After a short intermission, out came Gillian and Dave, playing as the David Rawlings Machine, which meant that Gill would play the role of harmonizer to Dave's lead. The two are mesmerizing no matter who is in charge. I have to say I came to see them first and foremost and was not disappointed. For Gillheads like myself, the setlist included: "I Hear Them All/This Land Is Your Land," "Sweet Tooth," "Monkey and the Engineer," "The Bells of Harlem," "Ruby," "Method Acting/Cortez the Killer," and a really great rendition of "Queen Jane Aproximately." Also, keyboardist extraordinaire Benmont Tench joined them for a couple of tunes and then stayed the rest of the night. I have to say I was much more impressed with him than I have ever been. I knew him as one of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, but never thought he added tremendously to their sound. But he really shined in this show.
It was really a credit to the HOB that the sound mix was so good you could hear every instrument -- and many times there were a ton of them onstage. I didn't count, but there must have been 20 people on stage in the latter parts of the show.
After Dave and Gill, Old Crow bounded out and blew the crowd away. I have to say, I'm only a real casual fan. But they have a ton of energy and really brought the house down. While fiddle player/lead singer Ketch Secor gets a lot of the glory, I give props to guitarist Willie Watson, who's mop-topped head moved only slightly less than his gangly legs. They also have that country/punk thing going on and do it well. They wowed the crowd with their party tunes, including new ones "Alabama High-Test" and "Humdinger."
The number of musicians onstage kept growing with members of the Felice Brothers and Justin Townes Earle and Gill and Dave jumping on and off stage to help with songs. When they finally broke out "Wagon Wheel," their hit, everyone was onstage and the crowd went bananas. Dave had picked up an electric guitar, Gill was working the tambourine (It must have been tough for her with all that boy energy flowing around her), there were washboards, banjos, mandolins, a pedal steel and multiple keyboards. Surprisingly, the sound, though chaotic, was amazing.
For the encore, everyone came back out, this time Gillian on electric guitar (!) and they romped through "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock and Roll)," which was a blast. See the video I shot below. We left totally spent and a little stiff from standing for 3 1/2 hours, but it was so worth it.
The Boston Globe review HERE.


See my video of Gill and Dave doing "Method Acting/Cortez the Killer" HERE.
Check out my photos from the show HERE.