September 4 2008: Silver Jews, Mike Flood - Iron Horse, Northampton MA
The Silver Jews! In my town!
Caitlin and I got there just as Mike Flood (an old-time local who according to Silberstein was once in Sebadoh) was starting and headed to the bar where we ran into Shoshana! Who invited us to her/Luke's table upstairs, which was way better than dealing with the kids downstairs.
The Jews opened with "Trains Across the Sea," which pretty much made my night right there, and then into "San Francisco B.C.," which continues to grow on me and was pretty good live. Behrman wasn't on guitar though, aside from one tune in the encore, but was just sort of hanging out and singing into the mic. And though his big goofy glasses earned him some style points, he wasn't a particularly effective front man in the guitar-less tradition. Whatever, cause who needs to be a particularly effective front man when you play a songs like "Random Rules" (including some local on trumpet) and "Horseleg Swastikas." "K-Hole" reminded me what a great song that is, and "Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer" was fabulous. And "Smith and Jones Forever" too. Not a bad set at all. I was enjoying myself. Caitlin appeared to be enjoying herself. Shoshana/Luke looked pretty happy and it turns out it was their 19th wedding aniversary that night.
The encore was where it was really at, though: "Pretty Eyes" (never listened to it seriously before aside from apreciating the delivery on the "That's not what I'd call a life" line, but it was great through and through live) into "The Wild Kindness" (with full-on keyboards and perfect. One of my favorite songs ever probably) into "Tennessee" (one of my favorite Jews songs) into "Punks in the Beerlight" (which the kids starting jumping up and down for, and which really is a great song).
No "Candy Jail" or "Party Barge," but we went home happy and filled with BBC porter. And did I mention they did "The Wild Kindness"?!?!?? Yay!
Caitlin and I got there just as Mike Flood (an old-time local who according to Silberstein was once in Sebadoh) was starting and headed to the bar where we ran into Shoshana! Who invited us to her/Luke's table upstairs, which was way better than dealing with the kids downstairs.
The Jews opened with "Trains Across the Sea," which pretty much made my night right there, and then into "San Francisco B.C.," which continues to grow on me and was pretty good live. Behrman wasn't on guitar though, aside from one tune in the encore, but was just sort of hanging out and singing into the mic. And though his big goofy glasses earned him some style points, he wasn't a particularly effective front man in the guitar-less tradition. Whatever, cause who needs to be a particularly effective front man when you play a songs like "Random Rules" (including some local on trumpet) and "Horseleg Swastikas." "K-Hole" reminded me what a great song that is, and "Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer" was fabulous. And "Smith and Jones Forever" too. Not a bad set at all. I was enjoying myself. Caitlin appeared to be enjoying herself. Shoshana/Luke looked pretty happy and it turns out it was their 19th wedding aniversary that night.
The encore was where it was really at, though: "Pretty Eyes" (never listened to it seriously before aside from apreciating the delivery on the "That's not what I'd call a life" line, but it was great through and through live) into "The Wild Kindness" (with full-on keyboards and perfect. One of my favorite songs ever probably) into "Tennessee" (one of my favorite Jews songs) into "Punks in the Beerlight" (which the kids starting jumping up and down for, and which really is a great song).
No "Candy Jail" or "Party Barge," but we went home happy and filled with BBC porter. And did I mention they did "The Wild Kindness"?!?!?? Yay!
posted by Peter Sohriakoff | 11:08 PM
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