Joe Pug @ The Firebird

Sooooo......I haSoooo. I had never been to TheFirebird. But this last Saturday night they had one of my favorites Joe Pug into town.  I have seen him at least 5 times and despite his patently commercial name the guy writes fabulous, meaningful folk/rock.  I have been loving this guy seems I heard the song “Hymn 101”:

“And I've come to roam the forest past the village

With a dozen lazy horses in my cart

I've come here to get high,

To do more than just get by.

I've come to test the timber of my heart

Oh, I've come to test the timber of my heart

And I've come to be untroubled in my seeking

And I've come to see that nothing is for naught

I've come to reach out blind

to reach forward and behind

For the more I seek the more I'm sought

Yea, the more I seek the more I'm sought.”

NPR did a little piece just on this song:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95798312

This was my first trip to The Firebird.  Not for lack of trying.  They have brought a lot of good acts there over the years but I just… never made it.  It is right off of Olive kind of behind the old A.G. Edwards (whatever that is now) and though it fronts on Olive, parking is behind it and you really don’t notice it unless you pay attention (never a strogng suit).  It has been a long time since I really felt like I was “in a good room”.  The much lamented Mississippi Nights, despite everyone’s best intentions has never been really replaced.  We had lost Ciceros Basement sometime before that and there just was a void.  Off Broadway sucked and though it has improved there was still no place that was just…. a room.  The Firebird could be anyone’s suburban basement.  Just a big, flat room with a stage and a dance floor.  We were lucky enough to get some deating in one of the half dozen booths off to the side and we… had us a time.

He does a solo act and he also comes out with a band and in any case always puts on a great show.  Chicago is the home base but he tours nationally.  His last albumis from 2012 and is called “The Great Despiser”.  He had two prior EP’s and another LP called “Nations Of Heat”.  A nice bio can be found on his site:

http://www.joepugmusic.com/bio/

Each one of the releases has some brilliant songs on it.  One of the problems on all his albums is they are all of such an even, high quality that they seem kind of interchangable.

The same can be said for his live shows.  He has a very tight little three piece band and they fricking OWN his songs.  His voice in consistent and he has learned a lot in the last 4 years of hard core touring.  He works the crowd and plays a tight set frought with with nuance and meaning.  It is music to pay attention to and the crowd at the Firebird was respectful and quiet, almost eerily so for what was close to a full house by the time he went on.  

Anyway, check out Joe Pug (Pugliese) when you have a chance.  Whether life or on one of his CD’s it is what music is all about.

Okkervil River: Off Broadway November 4 2013

Soooo..... as discussed there is nothing like live music.  NOTHING!  With Fall mercilessly upon us and winter a bad shout out away one needs something to lift out of the gun in my mouth season... with trees turning brown and leaves....falling.  But there is even more nothing better (and I intended to say it like that) than seeing live music in a small venue... as God intended.  Follow the Diner Review Rule that if the guitarist us not close enough to spit on you, than don't bother to go.  Two weeks ago I went to see Neutral Milk Hotel down at the Blue Note in Columbia and it was an epic show... but nothing like this.

My son Jon of St. Louis Wing Review fame was finishing up a brutal Fall concert schedule and was wing man.  Jon had come fresh from a dinner with my in-laws which I ...missed.  It had been a long weekend of family with everyone in town for a wedding but they were gone now and this would be a finale to 3 nights of being slightly...over served. 

Off Broadway has morphed into one of the more pleasant places to see a show.  The new management (now several years in place) has...

*Opened a courtyard and made that the entrance which improved on the rat maze feel the old entrance had...like you were coming into a closet or something.
*Removed wagon wheel light fixture which though "classic" blocked the view from the shitty balcony and cluttered the room.
*Further uncluttered by removing all the crap off the walls replacing them with iconic (if boring) posters of musicians, many of whom are flipping the bird.
*Torn out the beautiful long bar and replaced it with a much smaller and more manageable  one.  It is not as pretty and you will wait in line but there is never any question of being ignored or when it is "your turn".
They have not fixed the bathrooms which remain abysmal though clean.  They do discriminate against the "bowel challenged" (I might adopt that as a description for my celiac) but I would suspect that is a 5 figure to 6 figure fix which is hard to justify,  A port-o-potty rental for the courtyard might be an idea though or even a bathroom out there... I don't know.  Bottom line is that they have made it into a much more friendly venue, and the shows run on time which is something former management could never seem to get done.

The other nice thing about it is that if you get there for the opener, you are likely to see the headliner, or headliners, walking around.  Like Richard Gere in "Officer and a Gentlemen", they got nowhere else to go!  Unless they want to hide in the attic like green room there are very few choices.  I was there early because I was excited about the show and needed to stake out standing space for Jon and myself and got to chat up Will Sheff in the drink line.  He is a pretty unassuming guy and has boyish looks.  I was able tot ell him how much I liked his music and he was polite and friendly.  I did not make him get in a pic with me... I was proud of myself for maintaining that tiny...TINY bit of dignity.  The last time I saw Sheff was at the Pageant where he did a standoffish set and was so drunk that he forgot a verse of "Westfall" but..... I am a fan.

Will Johnson opened.  Johnson is from Kennett Missouri (If It Makes You Happy) and now lives in Austin.  He interested me 15 years ago with his main band Centromatic but has a lot of solo stuff out as well as a tribute CD he did with Jay Farar.  Bottom line was he played solo and he was...great.  Kind of a Kenny Logins (Logins and Messina) voice but then he would get all dark and whispery and his guitar is just...haunting. He played about a 50 minute set and was impressive enough for me to buy his new CD. 

I had been off to the side of the stage but after Johnson left the weak willed or weak bladdered headed off and I moved in and camped front row (standing) slightly off center and was thrilled, once again by the tininess of people who go see live music.  Whether it is a genetic thing with music lovers or whether it is because they are more apt to abuse themselves with cigarettes and alcohol stunting growth... it is great to be over 6 foot at a live show.  Jon showed up and we had nothing but these sweet, elf size music lovers in front of us, so much so that I that I was able to move several more people in front of me (because you don't want to be a dick and block other people's view just because you can) and peer over their heads.  It is, by the way, considered poor form to place your drinks on their heads.

Okkervil came on at the crack of 9:30.  Late for a school night but it had been tweeted by venue that it was the schedule, and it was, so I could pace myself mentally and cocktail-wise. Sheff came on with a crack 5 piece band and simply killed it, tore it up, beat it up bloody, right from the start.  He lit into two tracks from the new album, "It Was My Season" and "Balcony" which really got everyone going but after that he tore into some his great, old, angry songs from Black Sheep Boy, "For Real" at which point he owned the audience and the show.

Their new album, "Down The Deep River" is a really mature work and it hearkens back to the earlier days of the band with a lot of accessible introspection.  Sheff has been all over the rock press and NPR promoting this and everyone seems to make it out as this loveable look back at growing up in a small New England town.  Can New England be pastoral?  I don't think so and I would argue that Sheff does not either.  There is joy, sadness and God bless him, teen angst.  The songs recall all types imagery from the 80s and they are sweet... with an edge.  I don't know what this was.

This show was a killer.  An artist who is re-peaking after a little thrashing around who really knows how to put on a live show.  This size venue is PERFECT for him, and for the audience.

Will Johnson Opened!

Concert Review: James Mc Murtry @ The Duck Room

Sooooo I went to see James Mc Murtry at he Duck Room last week. It was a school night but I love this guy. I believe him to be the greatest living and performing American singer/songwriter. I could be wrong, I have been before but I kind of doubt it. I mean Dylan is alive and performing and without question has a more comprehensive body of work but for at least the last yen years and perhaps the last 20 the shows have more often then not been incomprehensible and sucked more than a little. Mc Murtry is of course the son of American treasure Larry Mc Murtry (noted book collector and sometimes author, wrote"Lonesome Dove" and what not).  Mc Murtry has only been recording since 1987 or so.   His first CD was produced by John Cougar Mellencamp and had a lot of his band but it was sparsely produced and brilliant...but I digress.  

Unlike Dylan Mc Murtry is still putting out quality new material and performing tight shows.  He plays every Wednesday at midnight at the Continental Club in Austin when he is not on the road and what that means is that he is always honing his chops. Always performing, always working. He has had a resurgence over the last couple of years.  Outlaw Country on SIRIUS keeps him in solid rotation (her should have his own show' in fact they should broadcast him live from the Continental Club every Wednesday night) and "Choctaw Bingo" which he claims celebrates "the north Texas Sutheast Oklahoma methamphetamine industry" is really just a celebration of a fucked up white trash family reunion at their whacked out old uncle Slaben's place. But folks love it and it is a great sing along meh also recorded a song called "We can't make it here anymore" which has become an anthem of sorters for  the problems and opportunities in our post neo con enconomy.  It is biting, and sad and true. More overlooked are his brilliant ballads "Carlos and Rita"  and "Lights of Cheyenne". He is a BRILLIANT writer.   He has an authentic voice and never forget, he plays guitar like a rock star.  

So I went to see him.  I thought it was. A early show with opener at 8 and Mc Murtry at 9:00 but as is well documented, I am, of course, an idiot.  I showed up at 8:15 figuring I would miss part of the opener, a band called “The Five And Dimers”.  I was going to go with my wife because it was an early show but than another friend wanted to go and then it got late and so my wife decided not to go and then the friend decided not to go, which left me going by myself which suited me... just fine.  So I got there and of course had not bought a ticket and of course it was sold out.  I had not anticipated that so many people in St. Louis shared my excellent taste.  The Duck room has capacity of 350 so perhaps it was not that remarkable and was just bad planning because as stated immediately above and reaffirmed here, I am an idiot.  I stood around and there were several people waiting for tickets but I persevered.  Ultimately another person who like me (when I buy tickets0 bought more than he needed and I paid face value and got into the show.  

Unfortunately the show was not the show yet.  Doors were at 8, opener at 9, Mc Murtry at 10.  Ooops.  Did I mention it was a school night.  I got my spot centered on the stage, about 10 feet back.  They had set up tables in front which seemed a little stupid but... BEATLE Bob was there!  I had just had a discussion the week before about whether or not he was dead but apparently not.  the Five and Dimers came on prompltly as i sucked down a Stag and was trying to be removed but the band sounded really good.  It was a little Byrdsy, Burrito Brothers sounds with a nice violin and understated banjo and a decent singer guitarist.  They were really surprisingly good and I will need to devote a little time to their catalogue.  Tey got done at the crack of 9:50 and then we waited about 25 minutes for Mc Murtry and company to set up.

He came on at 10:15 and and he was accompanied by Darren Hess and Ronnie Johnson which is really all the band he ever needs.  He was playing loud using both of his electrics as he tore into “Turtle Bayou” and “Hurricane Season” and got the crowd going.  Really going.  A packed house swaying clapping and yelping and Mc Murtry playing a little bit to the crowd and a lot for himself. He has been doing this for so long and these guys are so tight together and it is nice to see someone at the height of his game.  He might be tired.  he might even be bored but you get the feeling he plays every night with fear and arrogance.  He respects his aurdience as much as they respect him and this Duck Room crowd was a little chatty once you got twenty feet from the stage.  I never understand why people come to a show like that and talk all the way through it but...shit happens.

He brought the house down with “Choctaw Bingo” and then sent the boys off and did some solo numbers where he showcased a little sweet acoustic guitar.  The band came back, the crowd amped uop and beatle Bob danced and danced with every drunken girl at the front of the stage.  Everything the guy does is so nuanced, whether it is the way he plays, sings or stares at the crowd.  He turned 50 last march and he has some hard miles put on that face and maybe on his soul as well but there is something there that sees and can channel a portion of America that lies just out of your headlights or just around the corner but there, and real and haunting and sometimes even joyful,  It was a serious performance and even after seeing him 10 times he is a wonder to watch. Don’t miss him the next time he comes to town.  And remember to buy a ticket prior to the show.

If you want to find out more or listen NPR covers him pretty well

http://www.npr.org/templates/search/index.php?&sort=match&searchinput=mcmurtry

LouFest 2012

Soooo... LouFest.  Many apologies for having taken so long to set it all out but it was in fact... a lot.  
When I attended the first LouFest two years ago I was hosting a friend who was having a minor melt down and we caught about 59% before he had to hop in the car and head back to another State to try and save his marriage to a witch.  Last year I skipped altogether because I was not excited enough about the bands and because we found a way to be out of town.  This year, when I was interested in the bands again I got excited again about what is becoming a pretty sweet St. Louis music tradition.

I know most of you have other distractions but the fact is I really like live music.  Granted I have a (sad) weakness for things that twang but the general genre of indie rock is one I find somewhat pleasing and alluring and if they throw in a mournful cello... I am good to go.  This years line up looked pretty alluring and several weeks before I jumped onto Spottify and started to listen to the newest stuff from bands I had heard of but were not familiar with their work.  I was excited because there were some bands I had not heardf anything but buzz about:
Sleepy Kitty
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Cotton Mather
Girl Talk
Along with more than a smattering of bands that I had heard before and or (now anochronistically) had bought their CD’s.
Sun Volt
Dinosaur Jr.
Flaming Lips
Dawes

I mean, seriously, if you can see 8 bands that you have an interest in over a two day period for a total of 60 bucks... it is a no brainer.  I had bought 4 tickets which were to be used at various times as follows:
Me Me Me Me
Son Jon Son Jon Son Jon Son Jon
Wife Sandy Ohio Friend Above     Random STL Friend Sons friend Ben
Jon’s Fiance Lydia Ohio Friends New Girl Jon’s Fiance Lydia Jon’s Fiance Lydia

I naturally assumed that anyone in town would be pleased to spend a day or two in the park.  The summer had cooled down.  There was no rain. What could go wrong.  Instead  my wife elected to go to a bachelorette party for a niece in Chicago, to be replaced by Ohio friend who now was going to fly in from Dubai.  Sadly (and predictably) he had VISA [prpblems and was ano show causing a general flailing around for the other two spots and a decision that Lydia and Jpn’s friend would just wade in when they wanted rather than make an event of it..

When the day came. Suddenly after the driest summer on record rain was predicted.  And it came.  I worked Saturday morning and grabbed a Protzels (tm) corned beef sandwich and headed over to Central Field at Forest Park.  Central Field is massive.  My guess would be about 5 city blocks.  There are no trees (thus the field moniker) and it sits on a hill.  In year one, I baked.  One of the great things about LouFest is you park, in the park, withing about a quarter mile, for free.  I found a shaded spot and grabbed my chair and headed up.

Theentrance as is typical had a place for people who biked in and a lot environmental stuff i walked by.  I got my wrist band and walked in around 12:30 for a 1:00 start.  I got my breaings and then walked around to look at the Merch and the food.  It looked intruiguing.  It was not an AB Centric environment.  Schlaffly, while not having a hammer lock on beer sales had a nice presence and their were other beers too.  Before we get to the music I can comment briefly on this.

Beers were 6 bucks a piece.  Though not baseball, football, hockey or strip bar prices that is pricey for a 12 or 16oz beer.  There were no cheap options.  You could go 5 bucks for a 12oz can of Schlaffly.  That did not seem like such an awesome deal,  it is expecially difficult because they have not yet made the leap to let you use charge cards at the beer booths.  This means that if you and your son want to have a few beers over tyhe day (or cokes) you need 50 bucks in cash or you will be dry.  My other major bitch is that the people working the beer tent must have been volunteers.  While that is cool, the line to get a beer was always 10-15 people deep AND the workers, rather than grinding it out did a lot of chatting it up.  I appreciate that they are likely not compensated or are poorly compensated but lets train a little more and have them ready to serve... in a hurry vecause when i am paying 6 dollars cash for a beer and asked for a tip I think I deserve a little bit of speed.  Then again, i am an asshole.

The foos was another mater.  Three words: KOTA, Fish Tacos.  Awesome.  % bucks for two talapia tacos with KOTA Lime infused cilantro slaw.  Awesome. There was other food.  PM BBQ, Bar Louis (blech) and others.  The food was all good and seemed reasonably priced but once again, cash is king.  I had the KOTA Tacos, twice.  And some beer.

The bands could not have been much better.  Sleepy Kitty is simply a great local band.  They moved down here from Chicago and make their home on Cherokee and are very vocal about the scene.  http://sleepykittymusic.blogspot.com/ Printmaking is their gig when they are not playing music.  http://sleepykittyarts.com/ The band is just the two of them and they are a kind of White Stripes in reverse with her playing guitar and him playing drums.  They rock but she can really sing and play guitar and she uses a lot of effect, vocal and guitar to beef it up.  They were my favorite band of the show and they kicked it off.  I could not have been more pleased.  
I wandered over to the blue stage to see King Tuff.  They did not impress.  I came back to the Orange Stage for Cotton Mather.  These guys came on the scene in 1987, recorded an album and did not hit and then did not stay together.  Really tight power pop and they of course were “big in Europe”.  They are back together now and kind of debuted their comeback at LouFest and this Austin Band put on an awesome, tight show and are worth listening to.  Beatlse-esque... but in a good way, with an edge.  http://www.starapplekingdom.com/cm-news.html

Back to the Blue Stage which i had already come to think of as the losers stage to hear Little Barrie.  I didnt care and went back to eat some tacos.  Back to the Orange Stage to see St. Louis own Sun Volt.  Sun Volt (Jay Farrar) broke off ftom Uncle Tupelo and put out the brilliant album “Trace” and immediately establshed that farrar was the brilliant genius of Tupelo and Jeff tweedy was a sad little partner who started a sad little band Wilco.  The rest is history as Wilco but out three of the best albums of the last 20 years and Sun Volt continued to make the same album year after year and never reached the perfection of “Trace”.  Still, he puts together a great band. Brooklyns own mark Spencer comes in to play the guitars and slide and whatever else and other than being big does a good job and the band was tight and played well and... I walked away.

Back to the loser stage to hear Phantogram and then Back to the Orange to see Dinosaur Jr.  Rarely has a Marshall stack of such pretense been assembled and J Mascis came out looking like the Dark Lord Saruman and played, well, he just played fucking LOUD and I was 10 feet away from it.  It was deafening... and dumbing and even though i had seen him numerous times it was numbing.  I was not ready for that kind of loudness and i really could not hear it.  I was tired and left before Girl Talk.  Everyone (younger than me) loves Girltalk.  It is a mash up guy and evidently he put on a brilliant show.  I am sorry i missed it but I am old, and tired.

NEXT....DAY 2!