Concert #675 - Sara Watkins at McCabe's Guitar Shop (May 10, 2013)

I first saw Sara Watkins three years ago, when she opened for Vienna Teng at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica. Since then, Sara has become a highly visible presence on the Los Angeles music scene, so I leaped on the opportunity to see her again at my favorite venue, this time in a headlining role. And I did have an inkling that some unannounced guests were likely to pop up. So did they? Read on.

Sara and her band took the stage while the PA system was playing "Amor De Loca Juventud", a popular Cuban song. This thing intrigued me quite a bit, but Sara, without offering an explanation, launched straight into "Lock And Key", a song that appears on "Sun Midnight Sun", her second and best yet album. A great song, I must add, but the mystery of the inclusion of a Cuban song remains unexplained. 

Band line-up

Sara Watkins (vocals, violin)

Sean Watkins (vocals, guitar)

Tyler Chester (bass, piano, vocals)

Mark Stepro (drums)

Early in her set, Sara brought out Blake Mills, the young producer of "Sun Midnight Sun". I became acquainted with Blake's dazzling guitar playing last year, when he guested on Val McCallum's solo show. Now I know that he's a lot more than just a virtuoso guitarist. His sophomore producing effort yielded an exceptionally listenable album, with rich sounds and plenty of variety. Moreover, he co-wrote a few of the songs appearing on the album. Keep your eyes and ears on Blake Mills, he is a special talent.

Sean Watkins (left), Blake Mills and Sara Watkins at McCabe's

And speaking of talent, Sara is no slouch herself. From singing to fiddle playing to songwriting, Sara does it all. One of the best songs of the evening, "You And Me", was written by Sara herself.

Sara's set included a number of cover songs and some sounded better than others. Tom Waits' "Pony", delivered by Sara without the accompaniment of the band, was an absolute delight. It was also a rare opportunity to truly enjoy Sara's delicate voice. I was less enthralled by her treatment of Linda Ronstadt's "Different Drum" and Bob Dylan's "Senor".

A poor photograph of Sara's set list

The entrance of unannounced guest Fiona Apple gave me a huge thrill. She remained on the stage for twenty minutes or so. Together with Sara, Blake and the band, she helped out on three songs:

Take Up Your Spade (written by Sara Watkins)

You're The One I Love (an old Everly Brothers tune)

Where I Ought To Be (a Skeeter Davis classic)

Blake Mills, Fiona Apple and Sara Watkins at McCabe's

Sara Watkins and Fiona Apple at McCabe's

To these ears, the best two songs of the concert were "You're The One I Love", sung with high energy by Sara and Fiona and Bob Dylan's gorgeous "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", the song that wrapped-up the evening. The latter song was delivered by Sara and Sean completely unplugged, with the purity of Sara's voice once again taking center stage.

Sara Watkins at McCabe's - The final bow

Sitting close to the stage, just a few feet away from a full drum set, is a risky affair. I don't know how the drums sounded in the back of the room, but in the second row, where I was sitting, the drums were too loud and a few times during the show they overpowered everything else, including Sara's delicate voice. But it wasn't all bad: other than the high volume, I really liked Mark's drumming and I found myself observing him quite often.

The concert kicked off with a short set delivered by Seattleite Kris Orlowski, an emerging musician of some talent. I liked his songwriting, I liked his singing, I liked his stage presence, but I had a problem with his song selection. In spite of all the aforementioned "likes", Kris' set did not get my toes tapping and did not make me want to jump up on my feet. I know, I know, I'm difficult to please on Friday nights, but one slow song after another was not the shot in the arm that I needed at that late time of the week. Still, Kris deserves credit for his well-crafted songs, among which "Warsaw" and "All My People" stood out.

Kris Orlowski at McCabe's

Kris Orlowski's set list

The stage

The merch table

Concert #674 - The Proclaimers at McCabe's Guitar Shop (April 27, 2013)

Last night's concert at McCabe's came nineteen years after I first saw them in concert at the Troubadour, in Los Angeles. I went to that show with my older son, Danny, who was as big a Proclaimers fan as I was. Had someone told me then that roughly two decades later I would attend a Proclaimers concert accompanied by my son's son, a.k.a. my grandson, I would have shaken my head in disbelief. But it happened.

My grandson Austin at McCabe's

Since my first live encounter with the Proclaimers in 1994, I caught them a couple of more times, but not since 2002. Needless to say, I could not have passed up the chance to see them again in the intimate backroom of my favorite venue, so I grabbed sixteen tickets as soon as they went on sale, in December 2012. As expected, there were plenty of takers among my friends, so I did not get stuck with any unwanted tickets.

In preparation for the concert, I started listening to "Like Comedy", the most current release of the Proclaimers, and so I discovered one of the best albums of the last few years. How good is the album? Well, it's mind-numbingly good. No filler tracks at all. Each and every song is a gem. Gorgeous melodies, fantastic vocals, clever lyrics, great production, and I could go on and on with nothing but superlatives. If you don't have the album, grab it now (trust me, I'm not a salesman on commission).

Last night's concert may have been the last stop of their all-acoustic American tour, yet the boys from Leith showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever. Performing with total abandon and unleashing some epic vocals, Craig and Charlie put on a fantastic show, the kind that makes you feel privileged for having had the good fortune of attending.

The Proclaimers at McCabe's

The adoring fans were treated to a decently long set, nineteen songs in all, but surprisingly, eleven of them were culled from the first two albums, released in 1987 and 1988. This left room for only three numbers from "Like Comedy", namely "Spinning Around In The Air", "Women And Wine" and "There's". I would have loved to hear more from the new album, but I had no problem accepting the band's desire to play the older songs.

The set list (precisely adhered to)

The songs of the Proclaimers are anything but easy to sing. Without looking at each other and with the greatest of ease, Craig and Charlie interweaved their huge voices and disimilar singing styles with spectacular results, with Craig typically leading the way and Charlie backing him up in his inimitable style. I was amazed by the power and durability of their voices, as they finished the show with the same intensity with which it started. They played to only one-hundred-and-fifty lucky ticket holders, but they gave it all.

There was some storytelling, which of course came complete with their delightful Scottish accent and I was very pleased to hear Craig describe the host venue as "an amazing place".

The Proclaimers singing their hearts out at McCabe's

Although I liked each and every song they sang, I would mention "Throw The R Away", "Spinning Around In The Air" and "500 Miles" as the highlights of the show. "Role Model" and "Let's Get Married" were also outstanding.

The crowd was just a tad more exuberant than your regular McCabe's crowd and when Craig and Charlie launched into the opening chords of "500 Miles", the whole place was rocking real hard. It felt great being there.

According to the web site of the Proclaimers, the band's opening act for the entire US tour was supposed to be JP Jones, the acclaimed singer-songwriter and recent Chrissie Hynde collaborator. For unknown reasons, JP did not appear. Instead, I was exposed for the first time to the music of David Poe, someone totally new to me. Overall, he made a good impression on me, but not all of his songs were easy to take in at the first hearing. But some were. Two songs in particular stood out to these ears: "Devil" and especially "Big Bloody Heart", performed together with the attractive Amy Raasch. David appears to be an artist who is worth exploring and I will start with his T-Bone-Burnett-produced first album.

David Poe & Amy Raasch at McCabe's

Last night's show was definitely one of the best ones I've ever seen at McCabe's, or anywhere else, for that matter. Austin, my grandson, loved it too. He is now listening to a "Best Of The Proclaimers" mini-compilation that I prepared especially for him, and you guessed it just right, "Women And Wine" was left out. Not inadvertently.

The Proclaimers mingling with fans after the show

A ticketless fan with a sense of humor (she did find a ticket)

Concert #673 - Jackshit at McCabe's Guitar Shop (April 26, 2013)

Q: Let's talk numbers. How many times have you seen Jackshit in concert?
A: This was my 29th time to see them live in concert.

Q: That's crazy, don't you think so?
A: It's only crazy from the perspective of someone who has not seen them perform. You see them once, you're hooked for life. I'm only a passionate fan, not an OCD sufferer

Q: OCD?
A: Obsessive compulsive disorder.

Q: How much variety do you find in their shows?
A: Their shows follow pretty much the same path, so I can't say that any given show is strikingly different from the one before.

Q: So what makes you want to see them so often?
A: What attracts me time and time again is their exceptional virtuosity. These guys are devilishly good. Val McCallum's guitar playing is right up there with the very best and if Dave Faragher is good enough for Elvis Costello, then he's certainly good enough for me. And there's a good reason why Pete Thomas is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: he plays the drums like few others. Put these guys together, and what you get is an exciting power trio that adds good humor and stellar song selection to their musical prowess.

Q: Last night's show came just hours after the death of George Jones. Did the band acknowledge his passing in any way?
A: Yes, they did. They played an outstanding version of "White Lightning", then later in the show, when unannounced guest Jackson Browne took the stage, they delivered "The King Is Gone", a song written by George Jones shortly after Tammy Wynette walked out on him.

Q: So Jackson Browne guested once again ...
A: Yes. He's a friend of the band, so his appearances are almost taken for granted.

Val McCallum & Jackson Browne having fun at McCabe's

Q: Any other guests?
A: Yes and no.

Q: What do you mean "yes and no", that makes no sense.
A: Let me explain. Just take a look at Val McCallum's Facebook page, the way it appeared on the day of the show:

Q: Wow, Mac Davis guesting with the band, I'm sure you were all excited. How was he?
A: He never showed up. I'm convinced this whole thing wasn't just a joke, as Val kept looking for Mac to make his entrance, but he never came. The band went on and played the four Mac Davis songs they were supposed to do together - "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me", "You're Having My Baby", "In The Ghetto" and "I Believe In Music" - when mid-way through the latter song, a man armed with a guitar joined the band. Assuming that the man was Mac Davis, the crowd exploded with enthusiasm, only to learn that they were applauding the world's first and only Mac Davis impersonator. Like everyone else, I was a bit disappointed.

Val McCallum (left), with faux Mac Davis

Q: What else did Jackson Browne sing?
A: After his tribute to George Jones, Jackson sang his own "Shaky Town", then later, when he came back for the encore, he did "Take It Easy", the monster hit he wrote for the Eagles. Jackson sounded and looked good.

Val McCallum & Jackson Browne at McCabe's

Q: Any new additions to Jackshit's long list of covers?
A: Yes. Along with two young guests, they played the Who's "My Generation".

Q: Who were the guests and how young were they?
A: Well, I don't think either of them was older than ten. Charlie Faragher replaced Pete Thomas on drums and impressed me with his much-improved drumming. The vocals were delivered by someone introduced as "Uncle Nick" and he was good, too.

"Uncle Nick" and Dave Faragher

Q: Did Jackshit have a set list?
A: Yes, and with small exceptions, they followed it.

Q:  Did the Shit Horns show up?
A: No, they didn't, and I missed them.

The set list

Q: Your overall impression?
A: As always, I had a heck of a good time and I'll be back for more.

Dave Faragher and Val McCallum chatting with friends after the show

The stage

Concert #672 - The Dustbowl Revival at the Claremont Folk Music Center (April 20, 2013)

Q: Was this your fourth time to see the band in just about one year's time?
A: Indeed. I first saw them perform at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica in March 2012 and, right there and then, I became a huge fan.

Q: Can you say a few words about last night's venue?
A: Claremont's Folk Music Center is a jewel of a store and occasional concert venue. The place is owned by Ben Harper, who has kept the store's old-school look pretty much intact.

Q: Great stores don't necessarily make for equally great concert venues, do they?
A: Some do, some don't. Hollywood's Amoeba Records is a fabulous store, but not the best place to see a concert, not even a free one. McCabe's excels in both categories, mostly thanks to the availability of their back room, where a proper stage could be built and a decent number of seats can be placed.

Q: So how's the Folk Music Center?
A: They only have one room, so their options are limited. Located in the far left corner of the store, their stage is quite small and it only rises six or seven inches above the floor level. This means that  most spectators will not have an unobstructed view of the performers.

Q: How was the sound?
A: Quite good, there were no problems at all with the sound.

The Folk Music Center (Claremont, California)

The stage

Q: So how many people showed up last night?
A: Seventy-five, which is the full capacity of the room. My impression was that many of the spectators came to see the Wild Reeds, the opening act, a band with strong local connections. Sadly, some of their fans left during the intermission, so there were a few empty seats when the headliners took the stage.

Q: With only about seventy-five tickets sold, the artists did not make a financial killing, did they?
A: Not at all. Tickets were priced at the mystifyingly low amount of ten bucks each. You do the math. Ten bucks is a ridiculously low amount. Ten bucks won't even get your car parked at most LA concert venues.

Q: Let's talk about the Dustbowl Revival. How were they?
A: The short answer is "they were great". But there's more to it. Somewhat understandably, they brought to Claremont a stripped-down version of the band that I saw in action in Santa Monica and Pasadena. I did miss some of the absentees, particularly the three-piece brass section, a key part of the overall sound of the band. But it wasn't all bad: instead of a full brass section, we got to enjoy Ron Sewer's stellar trumpet playing. Vocalist Caitlin Doyle did not appear either, but her replacement, Kate Nicholsen, was equally good, I really liked her vocals on "Riverboat Queen". 

Q: What was the band's line-up?
A: Last night's incarnation of the band was a septet, as in a group of seven players:

Zach Lupetin (vocals, acoustic guitar, kazoo, etc.)

Vance Connor (fiddle)

Daniel Mark (mandolin)

Kate Nicholsen (vocals)

Austin Nicholsen (upright bass)

Ron Sewer (trumpet)

Josh Heffernan (drums)

The Dustbowl Revival in Claremont

Q: So how did the absence of the brass section affect the show?
A: That's easy to answer: the band simply stayed away from the brass-heavy songs of their repertoire, so there was no "Dan's Jam", no "Western Passage", no "Lowdown Blues" and no "Marching On". Instead, the band focused on their brand new album, "Carry Me Home" and that wasn't a bad thing at all.

Q:What songs did they play from the new album?
A: Quite a few: "John The Revelator", "New River Train", "Soldier's Joy", "Swing Low", Shine" and "Riverboat Queen". I liked everything they played from the new album.

Q: Any other songs worth mentioning?
A: Well, they played a total of twelve mostly uptempo songs, they all sounded good, especially "Early In The Morning", "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well" and "Ain't Nobody Gonna Bury Me", although this may not be the correct title.

Left to right: Ron, Kate, Zach, Daniel & Vance at the Folk Music Center

Q: Your overall impression of last night's concert?
A: Well, it took me a couple of songs to get used to the smaller size of the band, but pretty soon their infectious music grabbed me and never let me go. I could definitely call myself a satisfied customer. Whether their sound was bluesy, jazzy or folksy, the band sounded great last night and I enjoyed those few blistering trumpet, fiddle and mandolin solos. The whole concert was exceptionally well paced from start to finish. Zach Lupetin, the leader of the band, is a very special artist. He deserves kudos for his soulful singing, incredible songwriting, clever production and most of all, for having assembled such a great group of talented musicians. The Dustbowl Revival is a truly amazing band that's probably not too far from getting the national recognition they so richly deserve.

Q: The best song of the evening?
A: "Swing Low", the song that wrapped up the evening, performed with the help of the Wild Reeds. Great harmonies.

Q: A few words about the Wild Reeds?
A: It was my first exposure to the music of the trio. There are many other acts out there that are young and talented, but the Wild Reeds possess three assets that one day could bring them wider success: their voices. They also seem to be an inventive bunch, as there was plenty of variety in their forty-minute long set.

The Wild Reeds at the Folk Music Center in Claremont

Q: Did you bring a few friends to attend the concert?
A: Yes. I bought twelve tickets that went to some of my friends. Most of them were unfamiliar with the Dustbowl Revival.

Q: So what did the newbies tell you after the concert?
A: They all loved the show, without exception. They all want to see them again.

Q: And you?
A: I will continue to follow the band and the next time they play McCabe's, I will show up with a larger group.

The Dustbowl Revival setting up for the show

The crowd in front of the Folk Music Center

John and Bob, two of my friends

Guitars on the wall at the Folk Music Center

Concert tickets

Concert #671 - Venice at McCabe's Guitar Shop (April 12, 2013)

Q: Was this your first time to see Venice in concert?
A: First time, indeed.

Q: How come? These guys have quite a following and have you seen the list of musicians they have played with?
A: Yes, I have, and I'm impressed, but somehow the band managed to stay below my radar for all these years. There's nothing wrong with my radar, but it's just impossible to be on top of absolutely everything that's good in the world of music. 

Q: In maximum four words, how was the show?
A: I can't answer in four words.

Q: Why's that?
A: Because last night's show was both boring and engaging. Boring in the beginning and totally engaging toward the end.

Q: Care to elaborate?
A: Well, first let me set the stage. Friday night concerts are tough for me. I'm usually tired after a long week in the office, then it takes me more than an hour to get to McCabe's, so when the show finally starts, I'm in a state of near-collapse. At that point, what I need is a shot in the arm delivered by a high-energy artist who dazzles me with music, wit and most of all, a fast-paced performance.

Q: So you didn't get that last night, did you?
A: Not in the beginning. When we walked in, we saw on the stage four chairs that weren't suggesting anything involving high energy.

The stage

Q: Tell me more.
A: The four Lennons, Kipp, Mark, Michael and Pat, came out to a rousing reception, complete with screams of "We love you". They opened with a few slow-ish song, and so it went for a while. To these ears, the show just wasn't taking off and after thirty minutes or so, I felt I'd be in for a long night.

Q: Are you saying they were bad?
A: Not at all. Their voices were great, the harmonies were there, but the music just didn't grab me. The songs, while nicely crafted, carried no punch and the fact that they were all new to me did not help matters. "The Point" was the only song from the first half of the show that caught my attention.

Q: But then something changed, didn't it?
A: Midway through the show, all of a sudden, things changed for me, even though the band kept doing what they had been doing. Songs like "For A Kiss", "The Only Love I Had" and "Fingers Crossed" managed to win me over and from that point on, I found the show quite entertaining and by the time they played the set-ending "Think Again", I was clapping along with everybody else.

The set list

Q: Did you like the voices of the Lennons?
A: The answer is yes. I liked both lead vocalists, Kipp and Mark, and the harmonies of the band were good, too.

Q: Did the band members play their usual roles?
A: Yes. They all sang, with Kipp and Mark handling the lead vocal duties. Pat and Michael played a few different acoustic guitars. Michael also played the piano.

Q: How about their personalities?
A: They all seemed to be fun to be around. Their stage banter appeared to be unscripted and was not excessive.

Mark & Kipp Lennon at McCabe's

Pat & Mark Lennon at McCabe's

Q: Did they do any covers of famous songs?
A: No, and I definitely could have used hearing a familiar tune or two. I think they wrote all the songs they played last night, with the exception of "When I'm Gone", a brand new Mark Harris composition. Mark was there last night, he played bass and made a good impression on me. 

Q: The best song of the evening?
A: My vote goes for the infectious "One More Song", one of the best encore numbers you'll ever hear, a song that is guaranteed to produce a standing ovation.

Q: Any other musician on stage with the band?
A: Percussionist Rich Mangicaro completed the band's rhythm section. He was good. 

Kipp & Michael Lennon (with Mark Harris in the background)

Mark (seated) and Kipp at the end of the show

Q: Did the show sell out?
A: Yes, it sold out weeks before the show. There was a late show as well, also a sell-out.

Q: Can you give me one final assessment of the show?
A: Overall, I'm glad I went to see Venice. I got to see an internationally known band with an exceptional resume. And how often do I get to see so much talent in a single family? It just happened that I was in the mood for some harder-hitting music and it took me some time to accept the softer edges of their music.

The merch table

"When I'm Gone" - Lyrics sheet

Poster in the window at McCabe's