Concert #721 - Jackshit at McCabe's Guitar Shop (July 18, 2014)

I learned my lesson earlier this year, I think in March, when - after having seen Jackshit in action thirty times -  I took a deliberate break from catching all their shows at McCabe's. Big mistake: while I was home doing God knows what, a certain Elvis Costello showed up as the band's unannounced guest, to the delight of those who did attend.

Needless to say, Friday night I was in the attendance, along with Gus, a construction contractor who remodeled our house a few years back. The Boys from Cochtotan were in top shape, so the absence of musical guests passed virtually unnoticed. Val McCallum was on fire, I especially liked his rapturous playing on "You'd Better Get Right".

Val McCallum at McCabe's

The highlight of the concert was "Ugly And Slouchy", the old Maddox Brothers tune that, in the hands of Beau, Shorty and Pete, became an epic rock & roll medley that brought us to our feet. The medley consisted of the following songs:

 Ugly And Slouchy - Maddox Brothers

Let Me Stand Next To Your Fire - Jimi Hendrix

Green-Eyed Lady - Sugarloaf

Spinning Wheel - Blood, Sweat and Tears

Jesus Is Just Alright - Doobie Brothers

Pinball Wizard - The Who

And When I Die - Blood, Sweat and Tears

Ugly And Slouchy - Maddox Brothers 

Davey Faragher at McCabe's

The set list included many of the songs the band often plays, plus a few new additions, such as "Sin City" from the repertoire of the Flying Burrito Brothers, Buck Owens' "Where Does The Good Times Go" and "I'm Not Talkin'", a Mose Allison tune covered by the Yardbirds and Aerosmith, among others. They all sounded great.

The set list

Not appearing on the set list, the band's one-song encore was "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In", featuring Shorty's outstanding singing and bass playing. We all went home happy. Very happy.

Pete Thomas at McCabe's

Val McCallum, aka Beau Shit, feeling the music

Concert poster

Concert #720 - The Dustbowl Revival at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center (July 17, 2014)

This was my first time at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, a Fullerton landmark that has an interesting history and deserves to be visited even when your favorite artist is not booked to be playing there. The events kick-off at 7:30 PM sharp, while it was still daylight. Introduced by Zoot Velasco, the Muck's executive director, the band came out as a septet, which, sadly, did not include Connor Vance, their fiddler-deluxe.

The Dustbowl Revival at the Muck

 Band line-up

Zach Lupetin (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, kazoo)

Liz Beebe (vocals, washboard)

Daniel Mark (mandolin)

Matt Rubin (trumpet)

Ulf Bjorlin (trombon)

Josh Heffernan (drums)

James Klopfleisch (upright bass)

Faithful to their usual "Less talk, more music" approach, the band delivered their old-school music with youthful energy and humor, to the delight of a crowd whose average age was considerably higher than that of the musicians on stage. Last night's set list was very different from the songs they played in Pasadena in mid-May, a testimony to the ever-growing repertoire of the band. To these ears, the best songs of the evening were "Western Passage", "Cherokke Shuffle" and "Lowdown Blues", so yes, I am a sucker for the band's up-tempo, brass-heavy numbers and we all smiled and applauded when Ulf and Liz unleashed their awesome, albeit brief, operatic vocals.

 Partial Set List

Ballad Of The Bellhop

Edgar Allan Poe
Gamblin' Man
I Like It Like That
Lowdown Blues
Doubling Down On You
Cherokee Shuffle
Drop In A Bucket
Rodeo Joe
Hey Hey Hey (title?)
Lampshade On
Western Passage

All-in-all, I had a fun time. I loved the music and the venue.

Joseph, Liz, Zach and Daniel

Matt, Liz, Zach and Daniel singing "Rodeo Joe"

Ulf Bjorlin (left) and Matt Rubin

Stage and crowd (Muckenthaler Cultural Center)

Concert announcer Zoot Velasco

The Muckenthaler Mansion

Concert #719 - Chuck Prophet at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 27, 2014)

Concert announcements are seldom as explicit as the one for Chuck Prophet's appearance at McCabe's last weekend: Chuck Prophet plays his "Temple Beautiful" album, accompanied by a string quartet. In my case, this transparent approach paid dividends: without wasting any time, I got the album and a couple of listens later I knew that I had a hidden gem on my hands.

The show sold out three weeks in advance. As I walked in, I saw one of the busiest stage setups one could ever fit on the tiny stage of the venue. Chuck's microphone was at the center of the stage, the string quartet was to his left, with his four-piece band scattered around the stage wherever there was space. This left no room for conductor and arranger Brad Jones, who had to stand on an amplifier placed on the floor of the seating area, directly in front of the string quartet.

Chuck Prophet (left) and Brad Jones (center) at McCabe's

Chuck Prophet at McCabe's

Everything about the show was great, with one exception: it ended too soon. Faithfully sticking to the song sequence of the studio recording, Chuck played all twelve songs from "Temple Beautiful", but that took less than an hour. Then he came back for a three-song encore that included two new self-penned songs, "Wish Me Luck" and "No Other Love", and a Flamin' Groovies cover, "Shake Some Action". The latter song, Chuck explained, is considered by many to be the "Mona Lisa of power-pop", a statement that produced laughter in the room.

Chuck's studio recordings are great, but Chuck live is even better. Appearing to be in his element up there on the stage and occasionally reminding me of Ray Davies, Chuck delivered one good song after another. The band kept up with him quite well and so did the string quartet. I liked his voice, I liked his guitar playing, but what impressed me the most was the quality of his music, essentially a melodic mix of mostly rock, with a touch of pop, country and folk thrown in for good measure.

Chuck Prophet at McCabe's

When at McCabe's, I usually like to sit in the front, fully aware of the fact that the audio sweet spot is a few rows behind me - that's the theory, at least. But I've sat there enough times to know that when Wayne Griffith, Alan Kanter or Robin Danar handle the sound, I don't have to worry too much about my less-than-ideal position in the room. Case in point: Chuck Prophet and his eight support musicians, a gathering of multiple voices and instruments, both electric and acoustic. With Wayne at the soundboard, the audio mix was nothing short of exemplary, with every instrument coming across with clarity. The addition of the string quartet created a rich sound that I have not often heard at McCabe's, yet the overall feel of the music remained rock & roll, in spite of the presence of the strings.

 

Chuck's Band

Stephanie Finch: (keyboards,vocals)

James DePrato: (guitar, lap steel)
Kevin White: (bass guitar)
Vicente Rodriguez: (drums)

The best songs of the evening were "Museum Of Broken Hearts", "Willie Is Up At Bat" and "White Night, Big City". I also liked "Little Girl, Little Boy", a song that featured the appealing voice of keyboardist Stephanie Finch, a recording artist herself. By the way, Stephanie and Chuck are married to each other.

Conductor Brad Jones and most of the string quartet

 I'm happy to say that my introduction to Chuck Prophet's music was more than auspicious and, needless to say, I look forward to Chuck's return to my favorite venue.

 

The set list

Partial view of the stage

The line-up of the string quartet

Concert poster

Concert #718 - Josh Rouse at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 21, 2014)

I'm not sure why, but in recent years I have become far more interested in seeing artists whose music has partially or totally eluded me. Whenever such artists are announced to appear at McCabe's, I head straight to YouTube, I watch a couple of random videos of the respective artists, then I let my first impression tell me whether or not to attend. I must admit that, sometimes, my first impression took me to concerts I did not fully enjoy, but that wasn't the case Saturday night at McCabe's, were I got my first solid exposure to Josh Rouse and Doug Paisley, two singer-songwriters of considerable talent.

Musically speaking, Josh and Doug are not carbon-copies of each other, yet they have quite a few things in common. They both write tuneful songs, with lyrics that are easy to follow. They are both good guitar players, especially Doug. Neither of them get particularly excited while performing - they don't even break a sweat, literally - yet they both managed to keep me captive for the entire duration of their sets, which, by the way, were rather short. Josh's set clocked in at only sixty-five minutes, while Doug, the evening's opening act, played for forty minutes. And here's another key thing they have in common: no bad songs. Indeed, everything I heard Saturday night at McCabe's sounded consistently good to these ears.

Josh Rouse at McCabe's

Doug Paisley at McCabe's

The evening's best songs:

Josh Rouse

Flight Attendant

Come Back

Julie (Come Out Of The Rain)

Love Vibration (Josh's one-song encore)

 

Doug Paisley

To And Fro

End Of The Day

We Weather (a song John Prine could have written)

Josh Rouse's set list

Doug Paisley's set list

Josh Rouse at McCabe's

Doug Paisley at McCabe's

Doug Paisley chatting with fans

Concert #717 - Carlene Carter at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 8, 2014)

Sunday night's concert at McCabe's ranks among the finest I've ever seen there, and I've seen a few. Imagine a show where everything meets your highest expectations: the level of the performance, the quality of the songs, the relaxed atmosphere created by the artist, the humor, the participation of the crowd, you name it. Everything about Carlene Carter's appearance at McCabe's turned out so well, that I kept my car stereo off for the entire duration of my one-hour drive home - her voice was still ringing in my ears and I just wanted to preserve that pleasant state for as long as I could.

Every so often, music critics talk about singers with voices that, just like wine, get better with age. That is exactly the case with Carlene. She may not look the way she looked twenty years ago, but she sings a whole lot better now. Not that there was anything wrong with her singing twenty years ago.

Carlene Carter at McCabe's

Sitting on a stool at center stage and getting up only twice for two short trips to the piano, Carlene delivered an outstanding set that drew from her entire career. As expected, though, most songs came from her most recent album, "Carter Girl", a collection of songs written or recorded by the Carter Family. Anyone who loves classic country should run out and buy the album right now, as it is filled with old gems brilliantly sung by Carlene, with help from top-shelf guests such as Kris Kristofferson, Vince Gill and Willie Nelson. We got to hear ten of the twelve songs from "Carter Girl", with "Lonesome Valley", "Gold Watch And Chain" and "Black Jack David" impressing me the most.

Carlene's relaxed mood and humorous talk made me feel like I was sitting in her living room, surrounded by all the family members she often mentioned in between songs: Carl Smith, June Carter Cash, Aunt Helen, Anita Carter, Grandma Maybelle, step-daddy Johnny Cash and others. I found her humor to be exceptionally good. Nothing that she said appeared to be scripted and everything she said was funny and informative. It was obvious that Carlene enjoyed the moment as much as we did, otherwise she would not have mentioned breast implants, underwear and menopause.

Carlene Carter at McCabe's

One of the evening's most moving moments came when Carlene sang "Me And The Wildwood Rose", a song she wrote for her younger sister who passed on in 2003, the year Carlene also lost her mother and step-father. She wrapped up the song with a few lines from "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", with the crowd listening in total silence.

Another song that deserves to be mentioned is "Easy From Now On", a hit for Emmylou Harris in the late seventies. Carlene was in her low twenties when she wrote the song and I got the goosebumps while listening to the way she sang it Sunday night at McCabe's. Just as good was "Foggy Mountain Top", a song Carlene recorded decades ago with Rockpile, the British band that also included Nick Lowe, her ex-husband. By the way, Nick was also mentioned a couple of times during the concert.

Toward the end of the show, Carlene took a few detours from her hand-written set list, so we did not get to hear "Troublesome Waters", nor "Spider Lace". Instead, we were treated to a rousing rendition of  "I Fell In Love", with husband Joe Breen singing the "watcha wanna do that for" part, it was fun.

Carlene Carter and husband Joe Breen at McCabe's

For her two-song encore, Carlene first sang the self-penned "Cry", an up-tempo number from 1980, then, seated again at the piano, she delivered yet another highlight, a heartfelt rendition of "Change", with neither song appearing on her set list.

The set list

Carlene's show was exceptionally well-paced, with frequent tempo changes and just the right balance between music and talk. Guitarist Sean Allen provided able support throughout the show, while husband Joe Breen pitched in with some background vocals, they were both very likeable.

I must once again praise Carlene's voice and singing ability. Her voice has deepened a bit over the years, and that is just perfect for her songs of loss and pain. I found her singing to be more soulful today than ever before. But she can also pick up the pace and take you for a fast ride with a smile on your face. I did see Carlene headline a concert in 1994, exactly twenty years ago - I liked her then, but at that time she touched me only superficially. Different story today. In my book, Carlene stands taller today than she ever stood.

Carlene Carter at McCabe's

The stage

Carlene Carter T-shirts for sale

Concert poster

Concert #716 - Aoife O'Donovan at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 6, 2014)

This was my fourth time to see Aoife O'Donovan in concert, a count that also includes her earlier appearances with Crooked Still and Ollabelle. So what made me want to see her again only six months after her last solo show at McCabe's? The answer is simple: her voice. And her smile.

Pronunciation guide: Aoife is an Irish name that sounds like EE-fa, with emphasis on the first syllable.

Aoife came out ten minutes after 8 PM and set the tone of the evening with "Donal Og", a slow Irish traditional tune. Although she did pick up the pace later in the show, most of her songs were mid-tempo, with only one or two faster numbers. This may sound like a complaint, but I have absolutely to gripe with her song selection, as such slower songs allow her voice and phrasing to shine the best.

Aoife O'Donovan at McCabe's

The audience of about 120 people was treated to an eclectic set that included Irish and American traditional tunes, covers of songs from luminaries such as Tom Waits, Doc Watson, Duke Ellington and Bruce Springstee and, of course, her own original compositions. The ones I liked the best were Crooked Still's "The Lovesick Redstick Blues", Duke Ellington's "In A Sentimental Mood" and the self-penned "Oh Mama" and "Lay My Burden Down". For her one-song encore, she sang Tom Waits' "Fish And Bird".

The set list

In between the better-known numbers taken from "Fossils", her first solo album, Aoife threw in a few of her newer compositions that are yet to be recorded, such as "Porchlight", "Magpie", "Stanley Park" and "Hornets". The latter is a recent collaboration with her friend, Sarah Jarosz.

Just like six months ago, I found Aoife's solo act to be thoroughly enjoyable. Armed with only one acoustic guitar and performing without any support musicians, she can hold an audience captive like few others. I know I'll be back for more.

Aoife O'Donovan tuning her guitar

Aoife O'Donovan at McCabe's

My friend Steve chatting with Aoife after the show