Concert #692 - Garland Jeffreys at McCabe's Guitar Shop (November 9, 2013)

 

Writing about Garland Jeffreys' concert last night at McCabe's is a daunting task, if there ever was one. Simply put, I'll have a hard time describing the mind-blowing performance of this rock & roller, who, at the tender age of seventy, can run circles around musicians who are half his age. Or younger.

I saw Garland for the first time last year, also at McCabe's. I went to that show not knowing what to expect and he just blew my socks off. Different situation last night, one might think, as I knew exactly what to expect, yet in spite of my much raised expectations, Garland's live act managed to once again knock me out.  I can't think of too many musicians in the "over sixty" category who are as vibrant, energetic and still relevant as Garland. And he sounds great, too - the quality of his voice is something to behold.

No better way to describe the pace of the concert than quoting Garland himself, who - toward the end of the show - told us that "We don't do any ballads anymore, there's not enough time left in life, a ballad is like a waste of time", a statement that served as a signal for the band to launch into a rousing rendition of "96 Tears", possibly the only cover song of the evening. Many of the other songs we heard last night were high-tempo and high-energy songs, soulfully delivered by the indefatigable Garland with frequent shouts of "hey".

Garland Jeffreys at McCabe's

Garland's set consisted of songs from all five decades of his career as a recording artist. None of those songs sounded dated. My favorites were "35 Millimeter Dreams", "Hail Hail Rock 'N' Roll" and "'Til John Lee Hooker Calls Me". From "Truth Serum", his latest album, Garland sang "Any Rain", "It's What I Am" and the title track, three songs that measure up favorably to his best material.

Garland Jeffreys at McCabe's

Garland Jeffreys singing "Truth Serum"

Garland brought with him the same band that delighted us last year. Just like then, these guys played their hearts out. While all four band members deserve kudos, I particularly liked Tom's drumming and Adam's guitar playing. Here's the line-up of the band:

GARLAND JEFFREYS' BAND

Adam Roth (electric guitar)

Charlie Roth (keyboards, mouth harmonica, backup vocals)

Tom Curiano (drums, backup vocals)

Brian Stanley (bass)

The set list

Just like last year, Garland told us how much he liked performing at McCabe's. "We love it here. Great place", he said. In return, the crowd gave Garland its full appreciation via an extended standing ovation and applause that went on and on. A couple of times during the show, while singing, Garland left the stage and walked into the crowd, shaking hands and hugging some of his fans.

The encore consisted of only one song, "Moonshine In The Cornfield", performed without the backing of the band.

Garland Jeffreys during his encore (with Tom Curiano standing by)

Adam Roth at McCabe's

An incredible moment took place in the venue's front room, after the show, when Garland duetted with a fan on "Christine", one of his songs from 1980's "Escape Artist". Following that, he signed autographs and mingled with his fans.

I went home totally happy, wishing and hoping that I'll get the chance to see Garland again sometime in 2014.

Garland and a fan singing "Christine" after the show

McCabe's Guitar Shop, minutes before show time

The stage

 

Concert #661 - Garland Jeffreys at McCabe's Guitar Shop (December 9, 2012)

As I was watching Garland Jeffreys perform Sunday night at McCabe's, I kept asking myself how many other hidden treasures are out there, unknown even to folks like me, and I'm someone who digs a lot deeper than the average music fan. Funny thing, though, in Garland's case, it was Lincoln Myerson's word that brought me to the show and not my own due diligence. Lincoln is the Concert Director at McCabe's, and as such, his musical recommendations carry quite a bit of weight. 

Garland and his band came out at 8:20 PM and without wasting a second, they began to rock with intensity and passion. From the get go, I was stunned by the quality of Garland's voice - he's 69-years old yet sounds decades younger. And what can I say about the songs ... Without exception, they were all love-at-first-listen and later that evening I learned that all those great numbers had the same composer: Garland Jeffreys himself. I was impressed. His set also included two well-chosen covers, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and "96 Tears" and they both sounded great.

Garland Jeffreys at McCabe's

Garland left the stage a couple of times and wandered away into the dark concert room so that he could be closer to his fans. I high-fived him during one of those excursions, that was fun. Overall, his energy level was high and his voice never faltered. I liked his rapport with the other musicians on stage as well as the audience. There was some talk, but nothing excessive.

GARLAND JEFFREY'S BAND

Adam Roth (electric guitar)

Charlie Roth (keyboards, backup vocals)

Tom Curiano (drums, backup vocals)

Brian Stanley (bass)

Rarely have I seen a backing group that grabbed me like Garland's band. They were fun to watch and even more fun to listen to, whether they rocked or played reggae. I loved observing Tom Curiano's facial expressions and his drumming was as good as anything I have ever witnessed. Adam Roth's guitar playing was equally good and I screamed with excitement when Charlie Roth played the famous opening notes of "96 Tears". By the way, Charlie is Adam's brother.

Adam Roth

Charlie Roth

Tom Curiano

Brian Stanley

Picking a show highlight is no easy feat, as I liked everything Garland sang. Six of the songs he sang came from his most recent album, "The King Of In Between", released in 2011. Those songs were all outstanding so, needless to say, I promptly bought the album after the show. I also bought an older album, "Ghost Writer", initially released sometime in the seventies. Good album, too.

The set list

Garland and his band mingled with the fans after the show and it felt good telling him how much I enjoyed my introduction to his music. I wasn't lying - Garland's show was one of the best I've ever seen at McCabe's and I did see a few. I will definitely catch him again the next time he's in town.

Garland Jeffreys after the show

From left: Adam Roth, Lincoln Myerson and my friend Steve

Garland Jeffreys with my friends Bill (left) and Steve

Garland Jeffreys and Yours Truly

Garland Jeffreys shirt

The stage