The Gourds @ The Saint, Asbury Park NJ
Great show last night in the dirty Jerz from the Boys. New tunes fell seamlessly in with the classic gems. On a sunday night, with a small crowd and a whole lot of band and crowd banter, The Gourds put on what some were calling “the best show of the tour so far.”
Can’t wait for the Philly show tomorrow night at the World Cafe Live. Don’t want to miss it if your in the Philadelphia area.
https://tickets.worldcafelive.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=2879
Here’s the setlist from last night:
10/2/11
The Gourds Live
The Saint
Asbury Park, NJ
Setlist:
Haunted
Melchert
Luddite Juice
Ink and Grief
Pill Bug Blues
Spanky
All In The Pack
Cranky Mullato
Hooky Junk
Drop What I’m Doing
Drop The Charges
Everybody’s Missing The Sun (Nils Lofgren banter)
Burn The Honeysuckle
Your Benefit (post-ironic classic rock)
You Must Not Know >>
Peppermint City
Two Sparrows
Layin Around The House
Lament
My Name Is Jorge
Lower 48
Encore:
All The Labor
Blood Of The Ram >>
Subway Train (New York Dolls cover)
Cake at the Keswick Theatre, Glenside PA 4.18.11
Some may call it “geek rock”, some may call them the “greenest” band on the planet, some may call them post-alternative rock. Whatever the moniker, the band that calls themselves Cake knows how to put on a show. The seasoned veterans put on a monster show Monday night at the Keswick.
The normally tame Keswick crowd was brought to life by the band. John McCrea, the lead singer/songwriter lead the charge, seemingly almost forcing the crowd to get involved. Although the Cake faithful were more than happy to oblige…
The band that has notoriously been anti-establishment, anti-big business for 20 years now has slowly but surely built a loyal following that like to have a good time.
Cake’s new album, Showroom of Compassion, marks its 6th carefully crafted, self-released, studio album. (Thier albums are known to take months, even years. As McCrea puts it “this band is a domocracy, and democracy takes a long time.) It is a great one….be sure to check it out if you get a chance.
Here is the setlist from Monday night:
Sad songs & waltzes
Frank Sinatra
Arco Arena
Opera singer
Bound Away
Long Time
Shaddow Stabbing
Ruby Sees All
Satan is my Motor
(public acknowledgement that there is a dark side)
*Epic Crowd involvement*
Mustache Man (wasted)
Sheep go to heaven
Intermission
Mexico
Federal Funding
Love You Madly
Rock n roll lifestyle
(Thrills)**Gave away an apple tree** for answering the question “the declaration of independence was written on parchmet…what was the parchment made of?” A: sheep skin
Comanche
Sick of you
*massive crowd involvement*
Italian Leather Sofa
Never there
crowd started chanting “need more cake!”!!
Encore:
Short skirt long jacket
Wheels
The Distance
Midnight Ramble in the Cards for The Gourds?
The Gourds have confirmed that they will be recording a new album at the esteemed Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY. This is HUGE news for them Gourd boys! Shady Groove is both excited and delighted at the news. They are scheduled to record from Mar 21-Apr 1. It has me wondering if maybe there could be a Midnight Ramble in the cards….we shall wait and see.
Read more in an article from the Houston Press: This Just In, The Gourds Land Dylan Vet, Levon Helm’s Studio For Next LP
Leon Russell….opening act?
Leon Russell
Live at the Keswick Theater
Glenside, PA
11/27/10
Setlist….not necessarily in this order:
–Medley: Jumpin Jack Flash (Rolling Stones)>Papa was a Rollin Stone>Paint it Black intro (Rolling Stones)>Kansas City
–Sweet Little Angel (1930’s blues standard > made famous by BB King)
–Dixie Lullaby
–Wild Horses (Rolling Stones)
–Hummingbird
–I’ve Just Seen a Face (Beatles)
–Tight Rope
–Out in the Woods
–Walkin Blues (Robert Johnson)
–Georgia on My Mind (Hoagy Carmichael >made famous by Ray Charles)
–Stranger in a Strange Land
–Delta Lady
–A Song For You
This show had such a strange billing. They had Leon Russell, one of rock and roll’s most gifted songwriter and performers, OPENING for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Nothing against Southside Johnny and his band but Leon should have definitely been the headliner at this show. My guess is that they added Leon to the bill to fill the seats. And fill the seats he did. Now, its not that Southside Johnny was awful; although at times…..they really weren’t very good. Every facet of the band was a wannabe replica of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and in every area they were sub par. The Asbury Jukes were not nearly as bad as Southside Johnny himself, who looked and sounded like a pompous, awkward looking uncle trying to belt out rock music. The crazy part is that they have been around since the mid 70’s. They have a box set. They have a loyal following.
Maybe they were cool back in the day but not so much anymore. Honestly, the main reason that the Southside Johnny show was such a hard pill to swallow was the fact that he followed Leon Russell. And Leon is still cool.
Lets not let Southside put a damper on the overall event. Leon put on a great show, rocking through some of the greatest rock, blues, and R&B standards of our time. He was all business, no nonsense, which I think was a big reason the show was so fulfilling. I don’t think he spoke once in between songs, and to some that was a flaw.
I don’t think so. I like banter just as much as the next one but when you’re placed in an opening slot with an hour to perform, its best to give the crowd what they’re looking for. And it helps to keep his mysterious, rock-star persona alive and well.
So, hats off to Leon Russell. The coolest 68 year old I have seen in a long time.
Here’s a great song off of his self titled album, Delta Lady. I don’t really know what is going on in this video….I think its an old PBS special or something. great tune nonetheless…
Kiss all the Nurses…
Fresh off a weekend of extraordinary shows…..
The Gourds
Sunday September 19
Sullivan Hall
New York, NY
New Dues
Luddite Juice
Blankets
Everybody’s Missing the Sun (Nils Lofgren)
Grievin’ and Smokin’ > 30 days (Chuck Berry) > Grievin’ and Smokin’
Halleluja Shine
Out on the Vine
Country Love
Tex-Mex Mile
Bridget
All in the Pack > Guns of Brixton > I Fought the Law > All in the Pack
Web Before You Walk Into It
Tearbox
Lower 48
Jesus and Tequila
When Wine Was Cheap
Foggy Blossom (Mechanical Bride)
Michuacon
Mr. Betty
Best of Me
Burn the Honeysuckle
encore:
A Few Extra Kilos
Money Honey
Plaid Coat
The Gourds
Monday September 20
The North Star Bar
Philadelphia, PA
Up on High
Collections
O Rings
Low is the Way
Burn the Honeysuckle
Big Santiago Bust
County Orange
Steeple Full of Swallows
Cracklins
Bean Bowl > My Time Yer Time > Son of a Bum
Wannamakers
Fine Leather Truck
Waterbag
New Roommate
Amazing Grace > Hallelujah Shine
Lower 48
encore:
Love Train tease
Interplanetary Music tease
Honduras
Ants on the Melon
La Bamba tease
The Tinys Variety Hour
Whiskey and Blood
Special Thanks to Jimmy, Kevin, Claude, Max, and Keith for a wonderful weekend of fun-filled dances, thoughtful expressions, and foot-stompin’ jams. Sad to see that they have come and gone so fast. See ya next year.