June 16, 2012

Concert #640 - Val McCallum at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 10, 2012)


This was Val McCallum's first-ever solo show, as far as I know. Come to think of it, it wasn't really a solo show. "Val McCallum & Friends" would have been a more appropriate description of  what took place at McCabe's last Sunday, as the only song performed by Val with no one else on the stage happened to be the very last song of the encore!

After my many previous encounters with Val, whether as a member of Jackshit or backing up performers such as Shelby Lynne, Freedy Johnston, Creed Bratton and Susanna Hoffs, I could safely say that I knew him better than most any other musician. But when it came to the concept of "Val solo", I just did not know what to expect.

Well, the verdict is in: Val and his friends put on an exceptionally good show, complete with a few high-caliber guests, some announced in advance, others not. It all started with Val singing four of his own compositions, with a young lady singer who goes by the name of Z Berg providing backup vocals. The songs were of the "kinder and gentler" variety, their quality was remarkably good. In two separate songs, Val sang lovingly about his daughter Stella and wife Shelli, the latter being the "Tokyo Girl" Val sang about in the song of the same title. Now that's quite a departure from Beau Shit, Val's alter ego, who often sings about young ladies being murdered (Pretty Polly, Rose Connelly and others).

Then Z Berg took over the lead singer role and what a pleasant surprise that was. She possesses a wonderful voice and a singing style that appealed to me very much. As far as I know, the four songs she sang lead on were her own compositions and they were all stunningly good, especially the one titled "Charades". Add her extremely relaxed and self-confident stage demeanor and what you get is a rare talent who, at least from my vantage point, came out of nowhere. I will now start looking for her work as a member of the Like, her earlier little-known band.

Next in line was up-and-coming singer and guitarist Blake Mills, introduced in a highly complimentary manner by Val. Blake's guitar playing was superb and he can sing, too. His extended guitar jams with Val were a beauty - Neil Young's "Pocohantas" was a highlight. They received support from drummer Danielle Haims and a bassist whose name I cannot recall.

Val McCallum at McCabe's (June 2012)
Jackson Browne and drummer Steve Mugalian took the stage for the playing of "Jesus On The Mainline", which turned into a delightful extended jam, complete with crowd participation.

Jackson Browne stayed on to sing two songs of his own, namely "Miracle Mile" and "Rarebird". For many years, even decades, I did not count myself among Jackson's most ardent fans, but now, after having witnessed a few a his guest appearances at various venues, I am a lot more appreciative of what he does.

The set list, where JB stands for Jackson Browne

The stage got real crowded when Val and Jackson brought out Spanish guitarist Javier Mas and Moldavian violinist Alex Bublitchi, two musicians from Leonard Cohen's current touring band. Out of courtesy, Blake Mills sat on the stage floor after giving his chair to the more senior Javier. What followed was pure magic. Their rendition of Cohen's "A Thousand Kisses Deep", sung by Jackson with the full participation of all other musicians, ranks among the finest performances I have ever witnessed. Just imagine - the lead guitar role shifting seamlessly between the three devilishly great guitar players present on the stage - from Val to Blake to Javier and so on, it was divine, and so was Jackson's singing, and when the song ended, the crowd was on its feet to give the musicians a rarely seen mid-concert standing ovation. Funny thing - the best song of the evening does not appear on the set list.

The set ended with Z Berg coming out yet again for a couple of more songs which were as good as the first ones she sang. Val then came back all by himself for a one-song encore, his own "The End Of The Day", then it was all over. In my book, the concert was a "Perfect 10". 

Val McCallum remained on the stage for the entire duration of the show and acted as a gracious host who allowed his guests to shine. As a long-time follower of Jackshit, I was happy to see his non-Beau side and I liked what I saw.

I just hope that there will be many more such episodes of "Val & Friends".

Jackson Browne and Javier Mas tuning up
Val McCallum thanking the audience
The hugely talented Z Berg, after the concert
Val McCallum (left) chatting after the concert
Guitarist-extraordinaire Blake Mills (left) after the show
Drummer and McCabe's employee Steve Mugalian
The stage

June 11, 2012

Concert #639 - JD McPherson at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 9, 2012)


I'm afraid I'll run out of superlatives before I finish this short write-up. Last night at McCabe's, JD McPherson came out of nowhere to deliver one of the best concerts I've ever seen there. I said "came out of nowhere" simply because JD is a late-bloomer with a strikingly short resume - although he's in his mid-thirties, he has only one album under his belt. But what an album it is!

Sometime in April, I bought my concert ticket on the strength of JD's "North Side Gal" video, which was an instant knock-out with me. I showed up at McCabe's with a heightened sense of curiosity and excitement, wondering whether JD's excellent debut album and catchy video could possibly be matched by his live show. And it wasn't only me - there was a buzz in the air last night at McCabe's, some sort of a tension one could almost touch.

About JD. He's exceptionally likeable. Great personality, without a trace of an attitude, and up there on the stage he was just "one of the guys". Plays with a lot of intensity and abandonment. Has a sense of humor. Great guitar player. An outstanding songwriter as well. Has a voice that's seemingly made for the kind of music he does, namely old-school rockabilly, country-flavored rock & roll, with a touch of ska and blues thrown in just for fun. A tireless performer. Gave the crowd a generous four-song encore.  Classy enough to acknowledge the Americans, the evening's opening act.

In certain ways, JD reminded me of Willie Nile, with whom he has a couple of things in common: a huge heart and boundless energy, all housed in a small body.

JD McPherson (left), drummer Jason Smay and bassist Jimmy Sutton

The music was loud and I would not have wanted it any other way - that's how rock & roll is supposed to sound. I liked the way JD mixed his own songs with a few old classic numbers, such as "Farmer John" and Chuck Berry's "Oh Carol". Exceptionally good was "Oil In My Lamp", an old religious tune recorded by the Ska Kings, among others.

We got to hear most of the songs from his debut album and they all sounded great. The uptempo "Fire Bug" and "Wolf Teeth" were particularly effective, but then so were the slower "A Gentle Awakening" and "Signs And Signifiers". "North Side Gal" was fabulous, even though there were a few slight deviations from the recorded version.

JD's set list
A great musician deserves a great band, and that's what JD had - a great band. Jimmy Sutton is possibly the best upright-bass player I have ever seen. Hearing him play was a joy and it'll be hard to forget his intense facial expressions and body language. Moreover, as a special bonus for me, he was wearing the same "Bethlehem Steel" T-shirt I noticed and liked in the "North Side Gal" video. And he can sing, too. Bo Didley's "You Don't Love Me, You Don't Care", featuring Jimmy on vocals, was one of the best moments of the evening. By the way, Jimmy Sutton is the producer of JD's only album.

Jimmy Sutton during the soundcheck
Everyone else in the band was great - drummer Jason Smay, keyboardist Ray (last name?) and a saxophonist whose name I did not catch. The latter's contribution deserves a special mention, as it helped preserve the overall sound of the album.

JD McPherson thanking the crowd
The stage

Producer and bassist-extraordinaire Jimmy Sutton, after the show
The McPherson Express, parked in front of the venue

Concert poster
The show was opened by the Americans, a local band that seems to get better and better every time I see them. Their power-rockabilly style was a perfect match for JD's music.