Concert Review: Old 97's @ The Pageant

Soooooo... it has already been a good music year for me. Saw a few shows at Off Broadway, a new CD by The Decembrists, Bright Eyes and Hayes Carll, new CD’s on the way from Okkervil River and The Mountain Goats. An auspicious beginning to the year. The Donald turned 50 on Saturday and his fine wife elected to have quite a birthday weekend for him which started with going to see the Old 97s at the Pageant with myself, as well as his son and his girlfriend. Then a big surprise when his other two kids flew in from college.

The Pageant really has gotten their act together over the last few years. I never really understand what all of the logic is regarding closing the upstairs. In any case, the sound is good, the beer is cold and all is right with the world. We missed most of the first band, “The Whiskey Folk Ramblers” who seemed to be tearing it up. They had made it so the under 21 peeps could not go down on the floor which sucks for them but it does allow the old men to take a beer onto the floor... which was PACKED. It was nice to see, on a Friday night in the Lou, that enough people would come out to an Old 97’s show. The second band...”Those Little Darlins” seemed to be the critics Darlins... and caused me to head out of the venue to The Halo Bar. The Halo Bar is always to be much recommended as a place to escape a band. The Darlins just seemed like they had nothing to add to the mix, other than the fact that they were chicks. I know that might seem sexist but... they just did not have it. Would have rather seen the whole “Whiskey Folk Ramblers” set.

So Rhett came out and the women... and the girls swooned. Everyone loves him... even me. He and Ken Bethea and Murray Hammond have been rockin for a while and he gave the appropriate memory rave to the Hi Pointe (I was there) and of course the old Cicero’s Basement (the for them twice). Both venues are gone but the opld 97’s are not. They tore into the title cut for their new album “Grand Theatre” and then went on to play about 30 songs. The RFT blog was really rough on them for playing such a long set but seriously...most of the tumes are 2 ½ -3 minutes (ala Beatles) and you can get in a lot of songs. The set list was a great one drawing from the whole body of work but most of us could listen to Rhett sing the phone book.
The Grand Theatre
Here's to the Halcyon
The Dance Class
No Baby I: “Blame It On Gravity, Blame It On Being a Girl.”
You Smoke Too Much
Salome
Victoria “She started off on percodan and ended up with me.”
Champaign, IL (Best song on the new CD)
W. Tx. Teardrops
Please Hold on while the Train is Moving
Stoned (Will always be my all time favorite song of theirs)
Question
You Were Born to be in Battle
Indefinitely
A State of Texas
Dance with Me
Let the Whiskey Take the Reins
Smokers
Every Night is Friday Night (Without You)
Big Brown Eyes “I’ve got issues...like i miss you.”
Doreen

That is a sweet, sweet set and that was before the encores.

Singular Girl
Valentine
The Fool
Jagged
Rollerskate Skinny “Nobodies going to see eye to eye, with a girl thats only going to stand collarbone high!”
Time Bomb

They had the crowd eating out of their hand and the whole crowd stayed for the whole show. The floor was packed and i stayed down there until we got to the encores. They had the upstairs closed off but it was a see of people and more importantly that nice Beatle Bob was taking up space with his dance moves for the whole show. it wrapped around 11:30 and was a sweet, sweet way to spend a Friday night. Go buy their new CD. It will make you smile. Even if you missed the show.