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)

Double play: Eilen Jewell at Johnny D's, Sarah Harmer at the Paradise, Nov. 6, 2010

Sarah Harmer at the Paradise

Ever have one of those nights where plans seem to just magically work, no matter what they are? Last Saturday, as much as a month ago, was tagged as a "tough call night" as to which show we would attend: Eilen Jewell at Johnny D's, Sarah Harmer at the Paradise, Dawes at Royale... and there were more. But since a good friend was leaving for Nashville, country seemed like the right choice, so Eilen got the nod. After diligently checking the schedule, we learned she was playing an early show... and if we could somehow make it from Somerville to Comm. Ave in Boston, we might be able to catch Sarah Harmer as well.
Let's just say this was not a sure thing. First, there's parking... or lack thereof. In Somerville it's either get ticketed for a meter space that runs until 8 (we were at the club at 5:30 to get our great spot for the show; FU, Somerville!) or try your luck in a city permitted space (maybe our car won't be there when we get back; double FU!). Then if your car is intact (no ticket, no towing!), you have to make it cross town (through Harvard Square, without hitting pedestrians) and find, yes, another spot on Comm. Ave (BU hockey game just ending) close enough to the Paradise to make it for Sarah's 10:30 set.
Let's just say we were standing in front of the stage at 10:20, beer in hand, as her equipment was being set up.
OK, now for the shows!
Eilen and her band had just returned from a European tour and were genuinely delighted to be home. The show was originally billed as a tribute to Loretta Lynn, based on her most recent release called "Butcher Holler." But it was clear from the start that they weren't sticking to the program. Her set was loose and fun and filled with songs from all her albums. The crowd, a surprisingly older-aged (40s and 50s), were in a dancing mood, which is perfect for Eilen's music. Her sound which ranges from straight-ahead country to early'60s-era rock fit the bill.
Some of the highlights included Lynn's "Fist City" (a crowd favorite), some great country shuffles "High-Shelf Booze," "Rich Man's World," and "Dusty Boxcar Wall" and some down and dirty rock tunes from her "Sea of Tears" album, like "Sweet Rose" and "I'm Gonna Dress in Black."
Her band, of course, is top-notch, especially guitarist Jerry Miller, who is a monster.
She finished the night with Miller going off on "Shakin' All Over," as he spent his 5-minute solo referencing songs from Creedence to the Beatles to the James Bond theme and more. It was dazzling. A quick encore break and they finished off by getting the crowd up and dancing on "Mess Around."
Then after a little crosstown traffic (the real kind!), it was time for Sarah Harmer.
It was clear from her setup that Sarah was gearing the night to a more electric set. I loved "I'm a Mountain," and less love her new album, "Oh Little Fire," but this would be a good test of that material. Live, the new material sounds very close to fellow Ottawa native Kathleen Edwards, which is a good thing.
One thing that is clear no matter which songs she sings: Sarah has an amazing voice. She hits notes that skitter upward in scale with beauty and depth. That is, in fact, what separates her from Kathleen Edwards, who doesn't have that range.
She played a lot of the tunes from the new album, including "Silverado," "Careless," and One Match," which actually fit in well against some her older material including "Almost" and "Pendulums" (from the album "All of Our Names") and "Basement Apartment" and "Lodestar" (from You Were Here"). She did one song, "The Ring," played solo with her backup singer Julie Fader, from "I'm A Mountain." From that and other tunes, it is clear that Sarah is pretty adept on guitar as well. She had a full band – drummer, guitarist, bassist – but allowed herself a little plucky solo on "One Match."
The crowd, a little sparse, was enthusiastic and Sarah seemed genuinely happy for the support.
For more of my Sarah Harmer pics, click HERE (my Eilen pics sucked!)

A video from the Eilen Jewell show (not mine)

A video from the Sarah Harmer show (not mine)

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.

Paradise gets a makeover -- a plea

Shelby Lynne at the Paradise in 2005.

It was recently reported that the Paradise Rock Club in Boston is on the verge of renovation (story HERE). This scares me to death.

The Paradise has a storied past. Bands like the Police, U2 and REM played there when they were starting out. It is the perfect spot to see Kathleen Edwards, Shelby Lynne and the Low Anthem, who I recently caught there. Its stage can handle punk, bluegrass and everything in between. It is a place to get up close to whichever act graces the stage.

For anyone who has seen shows at the Paradise, you know what you're getting when you step through the door. First, the ticket prices are relatively cheap for the mid-level and up-and-coming acts that play there. Second, it's a small club, capacity is around 700, with few seats. So you know you'll be up close to the bands, sweating to the beat. While it may get crowded, there's usually enough room in the back near the bars to find a little personal space. And finally, beer prices are reasonable.

The club will close around July 4 and reopen after Labor Day in its new configuration.

With a renovation, you never know what you'll get.

From the Herald story: "Plans call for the box office and hallway leading to the club entrance to be knocked down to increase the floor space, and a new box office will be built near the front of the building. The current dressing rooms will be demolished; new ones will include such amenities as showers. Another source said the Paradise Lounge, a separate room in the front of the club, will be reconfigured to enlarge the capacity of the rock club to around 1,000."

What I'm most worried about is demolishing the aura of the place. In its current form the Paradise is not fancy or shiny or bright. It's a rock club, as rock clubs should be: small and dark with a good sound system. That's all rock fans really care about. Showers for the band? We're all for it. But don't ruin the club.

The House of Blues is fine, but we don't need another one. Beer prices there suck; we're paying for ambience.

So please, Paradise owners, think twice before you renovate. Do the right thing and make sure you keep the club's spirit intact.

Low Anthem at the Paradise

With some bands, you go see their show, you love the tunes, you go home. The Low Anthem, for me, made me think. Don't get me wrong, their show was pretty great, their ethereal-folk rock is incredibly intense, soothing, mysterious and lush. It washes over you. Also, the band is incredibly tight and talented. Their harmonies are spot-on and the band's voices play off each other beautifully. Each of the four musicians – Ben Knox, Jeff Prystowsky, Jocie Adams, and Mat Davidson – play multiple instruments. It's impossible to list what each one of them plays, so let's just take Jocie, for example: She played guitar, bass, clarinet, drums/percussion, and the best was this instrument called cotales, which has a bunch of small cymbals on top that she bows between to make the gorgeous ethereal backing sounds to a lot of their tunes. The combination of Knox's whispered vocals and acoustic guitar plucking, Prystowsky's sparse acoustic bass playing, Adams on the cotales, and Davidson on pump organ is truly magical.
They played quite a few songs off their album, "Oh My God Charlie Darwin," including great versions of "Charlie Darwin," "To Ohio," "Cage the Songbird," and "Ticket Taker," which, after you see how completely they reproduce them live, you realize that the album isn't a layered studio effort as you might have thought.
They broke away from their woozy, whispered-vocals sound briefly in the middle of the show for a two-song, ear-crunching electric set, that seemed a little out of place. Even though they do show that side of their personality on their recordings, it was a little bit jarring live.  Once the two songs were done, they went back to their quiet stuff and never returned to the electric instruments.
So that's my concert overview. Now the thoughts that floated through my mind during and after the show: First, many of the songs, excluding the electric ones, not only have the same tempo, but a similar sound. Now they play a ton of different instruments, I count 14 listed on their MySpace page. So I was surprised that the songs sounded so similar. It's not they all sounded exactly the same, but some varying tempos could have aided the show. Toward the end of the show, the crowd seemed a little restless, like they were waiting for something to happen. There were some really beautiful moments, where the group all stood around one microphone and sang together (see photo above). Also, it seemed that the sound could have been a little louder, given the quietude of the songs. Maybe it was tough to balance the really loud rock with the quiet stuff in the overall mix of the show.
And finally, and I know I've been rambling here, but I thought the crowd was pretty small for a band that seems to have pretty good buzz. Maybe the Low Anthem is really more of a critics' band than a rabid following-type. It really thinned out at the end and there was a lot of loud talking in the back by the bar, which was very disappointing.
To view more pics from the show, click HERE

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