The Pageant
February 22, 2007
I love live music. For the last 20 year or so I have been attending shows regularly first with my wifes permissionand then with the encouragement of my wife. The reasons were simple, I love music and to quote Neil Young:
“Live music is better, bumper stickers should be issued.”
I could not agree more. So in the old days because my wife was not a fan of standing in a smokey environment for 4 hours while I rocked, I would gather up friends, kindred spirits, people in and out of bad relationships, people who owed me, sad desperate people, anyone at all who would go to shows with me. Thn i began to get tired of going to shows and worrying about whether the people i coerced into it were enjoying themselves and i just went alone. Then a few years ago my oldest son started to take an interest in attending and suddenly I had (subject to age restrictions) a built in concert buddy who as long as I paid, would attend. Unfortunately he left for college and I realized since that time I think I have seen three shows in 8 months rather then about 1 a month that was my habit.
So last Thursday when feeling sorry for myself I thought...Richard Thompson, I love him...I should go. And I did. I always tell people that David Lowery of Cracker is the funniest man in rock but he might just have to be the funniest American because Thompson is the funniest man in rock. I have seen him 5 or 6 times in the past, almost always at the much missed Mississippi Nights club but I had seen Thompson at the Pageant once before. Thompson is about 58 and has been acclaimed since he was 18 when he started as guitarist with "The Fairport Convention" and met his first wife Linda. They made one devestatingly good album "Shoot Out The Lights" before he went on his solo career which has spanned 40 years. In August of 2003 Rolling Stone pegged him as the 19th greatest guitarist of all time. They under rated him.
The club was set up for a sitdown show. There are alot of good things about the Pageant but generally they can never figure out the right configuration. Generally for all ages shows they have the floor open but no drinking but tonight there were chairs everywhere and reserved seating. I got a seat by the bar eschewing my assigned seat for a straight ahead view behond the sound booth.
I am proud to say that I was young for the crowd or at least mid pack. There were not many woman and certain not a lot of good looking ones. The same was true, only more so for the men. Rarely have I seen so many baseball caps hiding baldness and so much thinning long hair. Whoever told these guys that long, thinning hair is a good idea? Not me.
Eliza Gylikson opened. She was great. Yawn. Beautiful voice, nice songs from Austin. Sounded Roseanne Cash like. Nothing wrong with that but...yawn. Thompson walked out same as always in his black jeans, shirt and ebret (covering his own baldness) and immediately charmed the crowd. He made some trademark wry comments and the broke into it. he was solo acoustic tonight and that is some of his best stuff.
He played a good song from his upcoming CD and it sounded tuneful. He then broke into “Walking On A Wire” which like many of his songs is heartrending in loss and pathos. He did hos first rock star guitar solo om “Crawl Back”. 3 minutes of acoustic butter wioth razors. Tour de force. Told us we could not sing and then tried (and falied) to lead a hootenanny. Broke in the sad “Down Where The Drunkards Roll and played a pretty, pianoforte guitar solo. His stuff always bounces between great singer songwriter fare and medeival syuff. he then did his new political sonabout Bagdad and disappointing dad. Nobody loves me here. “Dads Going To Kill Me”. At least were winning on Fox evening news he tells the crowd.
He played my favorite song “Persuasion” which was used on the soundtrack for the movie “Sweet Talker” although it has been covered by everyone from his son Teddy to the Finns (Crowded House). he also played my second favorite “Misunderstood” which the words are below. Thompson understands that woman and men don’t understand...each other or anything else and he is an expert at putting into song the spectacular miscues of love and loss. He also ripped of his classic Valerie:
“Leopard skin this, tiger skin that.
Matching luggage, lipstick, hat.
I can’t afford her on my salary.
But I am waiting, waiting, waiting for Valerie”
“I like a girl in satin who speaks in latin” he told us in his new song Hearts For The Smarts”. Cute song. Throw away. He then reached back to 73 for “I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight”. How will I ever be simple again. Folk song. Beautiful phrasing. Cooks ferry queen. Dark and manic. Singing about “pre raphealite curls in her hair.” Thats the thing Thats the thing about Thompson. He is so literate...and lyrical and oh did I mention he is probably one of the greatest guitarists ever. EVER. You can have your Claptons and Vedders...whoever you want. I will take Richard Thompson. His guitar makes it rain and pour...washes over you...it can drown you.
Steve Pick from Euclid Records, formerly of vintage final, sometimes of KDHX and more importantly a Lutheran North Crusader was just down the rail. He also did gigs as a reviewer and still does for the Riverfront Times and sometimes for the Post Dispatch. Pick is an underappreciated local treasure. He writes great reviews, has impeccable pop sensibilities and...is Lutheran. He also is huge (tall) and somewhat haunted looking. Seems like a very nice guy...always.
He played a really nice set. the crowd was appreciative and he owned them but they were dead. This sitting and listening to good music is sick and unatural. This was a show that could just have easily been at the Sheldon for some of their patrons then held at a rock venue. The only disappointments for me was that even on the encores he never got to his song “Beeswing” and he never played his signature “Shoot Out The Lights.”
All in all it was a great show. The man is God and if you can see him...see him. It is always worth the buck.
She said "Darling I'm in love with your mind. The way you care for me, it's so kind. Love to see you again, I wish I had more time". She was laughing as she brushed my cheek "Why don't you call me, angel, maybe next week Promise now, cross your heart and hope to die". But I misunderstood, But I misunderstood, But I misunderstood I thought she was saying good luck, She was saying good bye But I misunderstood, But I misunderstood, But I misunderstood I thought she was saying good luck, She was saying good bye Things I tried to put shine in her eyes Wire wheels and shimmering things Wild nights when the whole world seemed to fly She said "The thing that's so unique When we're together we don't have to speak. We'll always be such good friends, you and I" Oh but I misunderstood, But I misunderstood, But I misunderstood I thought she was saying good luck, She was saying good bye But I misunderstood, But I misunderstood, But I misunderstood I thought she was saying good luck, She was saying good I thought she was saying good luck, She was saying good I thought she was saying good luck, She was saying goodbye Oh, she was saying goodbye, Oh, she was saying goodbye Oh, she was saying, saying, saying, saying
Richard Thompson: "I Misunderstood"
Richard Thompson iTunes Composite: (Evidently I have 173 Richard Thompson Songs in my iTunes library...ooops.)
1. Shoot Out The Lights
2. Valerie
2. When the Spell Is Broken
4. 1952 Vincent Black Shadow
5. I Misunderstood
6. I Feel So Good
7. Keep Your Distance
8. I Can’t Wake Up
9. Beeswing
10. Cooksferry Queen
11. How Will I Ever Be Simple Again
12. Walking The Long Miles Home
13. Crawl Back (Under My Stone)
14. Perusasion
15. Why Must I Plead
16. Wall of Death
Most all of these can be found on his most excellent collection “Action Packed.”
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