Ok, time to finish off the 2006 concert reviews. Before I do that, I thought it would be cool to share my concert going stats over the past three years. I have no idea if this is of interest to anyone other than me but it’s my blog and I’ll write what I want to (cry if I want to, die if I want to). (Actually, that sentiment is wrong. It should be more like “whine if I want to, suffer from a nasty hangover if I want to.” I mean seriously, just because you’re having a party doesn’t mean you have to die.)
Over the past three years I have gone to a total of 122 concerts featuring 169 different acts. 29 of those shows took place at Davey’s Uptown while another 18 involved my driving to Lawrence to see someone at Liberty Hall. Obviously, I saw a number of acts more than once and here are the most frequently seen acts..
5 times: Jon Dee Graham, Richard Buckner
4 times: Carbon Leaf, The Gaslights, Rex Hobart and the Misery Boys
3 times: Alejandro Escovedo, Ani DiFranco, Cowboy Mouth, Hank Williams III, Howie Day, Jack Ingram, Old Crow Medicine Show, Robert Earl Keen, The Get Up Kids
2 times: Way too many to list
Let’s finish the reviews, shall we?
Beaumont Club (Kansas City, MO)
1) Robert Earl Keen (Opening Acts: Full Throttle, Cross Canadian Ragweed): This was a big homecoming show for Cross Canadian Ragweed as I think they are from Oklahoma or something. This just meant that the crowd was a lot more into the band than I was as I just recall standing there hoping that their set would eventually end. Robert Earl Keen is typically a great person to see live but this show just was not doing it for me. Maybe it was because it was actually sponsored by one of the local country radio stations and while my musical tastes might indicate otherwise, I really try to stay away from anything associated with country radio. This show was really high on my list of disappointments of the year and boy, is that a list worth writing about.
2) Guster (Opening Acts: Nada Surf): You’ve actually heard of Nada Surf. They had a hit in the late 90’s/early naughts with “Popular” where the lead singer spends half the song in a spoken rant. The thing is, while that looks really cool in a video, it doesn’t translate very well to a stage. Guster put on their usual fun set though you could tell that they were pissed about the venue. See, this show was originally supposed to be at City Market, which meant that they were going to be playing in this big parking lot. Apparently they didn’t sell enough tickets so they moved it to the Beaumont, which is essentially a country bar up to and including a mechanical bull sitting in the back of the bar. It’s always fun to see a band realize that it has entered a scene from the Blues Brothers and start quickly trying to remember all of the words to Rawhide.
Grand Emporium (Kansas City, MO)
1) Jack Ingram (Opening Act: Ryan Boles Band): I am as stunned as anyone that Jack Ingram has actually earned a top country song and a spot singing the national anthem at the NBA Finals. When I first saw him he was pleased as hell to be playing in a half empty bar because he never thought that he would ever headline a show in Chicago. The guy is talented as hell and while his electric shows don’t match the awesomeness of his acoustic shows they can be fun as hell. This show does win for the worst sound mix of the year as Jack spent the first thirty minutes arguing with the sound board to the point that the opening lyric to one song was “Guitar down, damnit!”
2) Gomez (Opening Act: David Ford): I am on public record as to hating the new, clean Grand Emporium. It’s very prim and proper and I feel like I should be sipping on a martini while smoking a cigar as opposed to seeing a band. However, the place is intimate as hell and there is no way in the world that a band as good as Gomez should be playing in a place of that size. Just a killer British band that is part blues, part rock, part country and part Harry Potter. Or at least that’s who their keyboardist always reminds me of. David Ford was the best opening act this year with a very Damien Rice-esq vibe to him. Lots of loops, lots of emotion and I’m pretty sure that on his last song he blew out half his amps and broke two guitars and enjoyed every moment of it.
3) The Ditty Bops: There is one word I almost never use in describing music and that word is unique. It’s almost impossible for me to stumble upon something and go, “Wow, I’ve never heard anything like that before.” But damnit, Abby and Amanda are unique as hell. Part bluegrass, part vaudeville, part performance art, The Ditty Bops put on one of the most enjoyable shows you’ll ever see. You’ll laugh, you’ll dance, you’ll sing along, you will have your jaw drop when Amanda does an onstage costume change from the good witch to the bad witch. Without a doubt, this is a band to check out for the novelty alone.
Kansas City Irish Fest (Kansas City, MO)
1) Black 47: I don’t think I wrote about this show because I was on a flight to London the next day (and it was my birthday, so things were hazy to begin with). I’ve been a fan of Black 47 for years and while they are a great Irish band I was surprised to see them on the Irish Fest circuit. In kind of the same way that it would amaze me to see Shane McGowan show up at one of those things. Still, that was me next to the stage when they played the song “James Connolly”. As someone who has stood where James Connolly was executed let’s just say that this was a very moving experience. Even if it was part of a toursity Irish fest.
VooDoo Lounge at Harrah’s Casino (North Kansas City, MO)
1) Cowboy Mouth (Opening Act: Pomeroy): This was a fourth and ten play for one game in my relationship season and I have to say that Cowboy Mouth completely failed in the clutch. It was like having Terrell Owens out there at wide receiver, not only does he drop the ball but then he yells about not throwing the ball enough. Anyway, I saw this exact same show two weeks ago so I’ll talk about this more at number five.
2) Lucinda Williams (Opening Act: Tim Easton): Most bizarre moment at a concert this year. Get in right as the show started and all the seats on the floor are taken so I head to the balcony and grab a seat in the last row. After the opening set I look up and see Kristen and Bill, two people who I only see at concerts walking straight towards me. It was as random as life could get. This was pretty much an acoustic show (or at least one without a drummer) for Lucinda and she is such an incredible songwriter that it just makes for a great night. She might not have the best voice or stage presence in the world and she needs a music stand with lyrics in front of her but man, can she write.
3) The Neville Brothers: Ran into former Chiefs great Neil Smith at this show. Or more like he ran through me getting to his seat and yeah, I’m not a very good left tackle. One gripe about this show, everyone in the crowd was a) older than me and b) sitting down. This does not make for a good show by the Nevilles. These guys feed off of the crowd’s energy and it was as subdued a group of people that you could ever find. Still, there are times in your life when the prescription is to listen to the Nevilles do their thing because when they are at their best, they’re the best in the world.
4) Soul Asylum (Opening Act: The New Amsterdams): It’s nice to reminisce about my college years even if half of those memories involve circuit diagrams. That’s what going to Soul Asylum was all about, reliving songs from a decade ago because they happen to be really good songs. This show was better than it had any right being and I’ll probably end up getting “Stand Up and be Strong” because of how good some of their new songs were. Dave and Dan are aging like the rest of us but for a little bit we can all remember being younger and dating Winona Ryder.
5) Cowboy Mouth (Opening Act: Pomeroy): I have a problem with Cowboy Mouth and it sucks because they were one of my favorite bands ever. When I got into one of my down moods their CDs were one of my quick cures to get me off the couch and tackling life again. That said, I’ve been pissed at their shows because of Fred the Drummer’s consistent requests that we make more noise and throw our hands in the air and jump up and down on every single song. There is a difference between passion and pandering and I think over the past five years or so the band has crossed the line. It’s like it’s gone from fun to work. I just think the best moments come naturally. Like watching Jay Farrar play “Still Be Around” and having the crowd, with no prodding” sing along. I’ll take one of those over two dozen “Jump around and scream.”
The five random CDs for the week:
1) Cathy Richardson Band “All Excess: Live at Park West”
2) The Juliana Hatfield Three “Become What You Are”
3) Jon Dee Graham “Hooray for the Moon”
4) Keb’ Mo’ “Keb’ Mo’”
5) C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band “Hot Rod”
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