Even though Justin Townes Earle is a semi-regular visitor to Utah, he still maintains some sense of mystery as a performer every time he comes back around.
That was certainly true Saturday night at The State Room, where Earle played a sold-out show all by his lonesome on stage, just one man, his guitar and a catalog full of retro-fied country and folk ballads and rockers. And he brought that rare ability to entertain well between songs, too, via short anecdotes and funny one-liners about the evolution of his songs.
Dressed in a leather jacket rather than the Western duds he’s worn on some past visits, Earle jumped into a set of nearly two-dozen songs spanning his four full-lengths, but leaning most heavily on his excellent 2012 release Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now. That was a good decision, because songs like the title track, “Maria,” “Am I That Lonely Tonight” and “Look The Other Way” are some of the strongest of Earle’s career to date. And despite the fact they lacked some of the STAX-style horns and instrumental layers of their recorded versions, they fit in perfectly alongside older favorites.
Earle didn’t skimp on the older material, dropping in songs like “They Killed John Henry” and “Mama’s Eyes” among the newer material. “One More Night in Brooklyn” was a highlight early on, and later he followed “Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now” with a memorable one-two “Harlem River Blues” and “Lower East Side,” songs written when Earle was still living in New York. Those days are over, he explained between songs, as he’s moved back to Nashville to be close to his aging mother, “because that’s what you do.”
Earle’s encore was more than a merely slapped-on coda to a solid show–it provided some of the best moments of the entire show. A couple of covers were in the mix, including his inspired take on Jimmy Cox’s “When You’re Down and Out” and The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait.’ “Halfway to Jackson” and “Slippin’ and Slidin'” helped bring a close to the last night on the road for Earle, and added to what has been a remarkable December for concerts already.
Only the Grinchiest Scrooge could go to one of The Lower Lights’ Christmas concerts and walk away still lacking in the holiday spirit.
Wednesday night, the rootsy collective delivered an excellent array of traditional carols and subtle surprises during the first of its two sold-out shows at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple. The good vibes are readily apparent onstage among the musicians and singers who are taking time away from their own respective artistic pursuits to be part of the special blend that is The Lower Lights, and those good vibes traveled easily to the audience filling one of the more unique venues in Salt Lake City.
A few members of the group led a singalong of a couple of faves while the lights were still on—a good move in getting the kids in the audience involved. Then the full group took the stage for the “proper” show, starting with a rousing version of “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” one of the featured songs on The Lower Lights’ Christmas album released a year ago, Come Let Us Adore Him.
Paul Jacobsen and Dominic Moore led the way on vocals on that song, and they were a part of an excellent array of singers who at various points took center stage. On “Away in a Manger,” it was Mindy Gledhill taking command of the proceedings. On “White Christmas,” Sarah Sample’s supple vocals proved incredibly pleasing.
“Silver Bells,” a highlight both last year and last night, joined Sample with Debra Fotheringham, Ryan Tanner and Dustin Christensen in a sparse arrangement that truly showcased their collective vocal prowess.
The singers weren’t the only ones to shine, though; Dylan Schorer’s solo guitar instrumental take of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” let his incredible playing come through loud and clear—and his pedal-steel work all night helped root the proceedings in the twangy territory I can’t get enough of. Mark Smith’s rapid-fire mandolin, Scott Wiley’s chiming guitar parts, Pat Campbell’s supple percussion and two-song guest Branden Campbell’s stint on both bass and guitar all were noteworthy (and I’m leaving out several other excellent performances—The Lower Lights is a big band, literally. Suffice to say, I didn’t hear anyone on stage “blowing clams,” as Mike Watt dubs his screw-ups).
Among the fun asides to the traditional tunes were a couple of Hank Williams favorites in “I Saw The Light” and “House of Gold,” which Tanner introduced with a fine reminder of the true spirit of the season—and it ain’t simply gettin’ more stuff.
There’s another Lower Lights show Thursday night, but your only chance for tickets is finding a friend with an extra. And you might want to go ahead and ask Santa for some tickets for 2013 right now, considering the band packed the Masonic Temple once last year, and two times this year. Third time around, it won’t be shocking if they pull off a triple-header next year.
JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE, THE STATE ROOM, Saturday, Dec. 15, 9 p.m., Sold Out
Another example of this December being arguably the best December, music-wise, that Salt Lake City has seen in a spell comes courtesy of the mighty Justin Townes Earle, FINALLY arriving in Utah on his tour in support of his 2012 album, Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now. Released early this year, the album was recorded in a burst of activity over just a few days in Asheville, N.C. while Earle was still riding high on the success of his previous collecti0n from 2012, Harlem River Blues. That set earned him an Americana Music Award for “Song of the Year” for the title track, but its success was mixed with some hard times for the young troubador, who spent some time in rehab shortly after the album’s release. Recording the new set with essentially the same band from Harlem River Blues, plus soon-to-be wife of Jason Isbell/fiddler Amanda Shires, Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now brings a little Memphis soul vibe to Earle’s honky-tonk sound, with some of the tastiest horn parts you’ll hear anywhere. Trixie Whitley opens what is sure to be one of the best shows of the year–it’s just a bonus that it’s happening during the holiday. Merry Christmas, everyone!
OPEN ORCHARD REVIVAL, FIRST CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH (801 E. 900 South), Saturday, Dec. 15, 6 p.m., $10 suggested donation
The 9th & 9th Concert Series this Saturday welcomes Open Orchard Revival, the joint roots-gospel project of the Folka Dots and The Trappers. The group has been working on an album, and this show serves as a release party and will feature some of the gospel tunes from that collection, called What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?, as well as some Christmas tunes and most likely songs from each of the respective bands’ repertoires. Besides great music, you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing that 10 percent of the money raised at the show will go to the Christmas Box House, which works with abused and neglected children.
THE LOWER LIGHTS, SALT LAKE MASONIC TEMPLE, Wednesday, Dec. 12 and Thursday, Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m., $10
If you’re unfamiliar with our local gospel-roots collective The Lower Lights, consider these two Christmas shows at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple a perfect opportunity to get acquainted with one of the best things going in Utah, music-wise. The band is made up of a rotating array of players and singers you might have seen in one of their other forms, including Paul Jacobsen and the Madison Arm, Sarah Sample, Fictionist, Ryan Tanner, Debra Fotheringham, Nate Pyfer, Mindy Gledhill and many more. Together as The Lower Lights, they knock out excellent takes on hymns and gospel songs spanning decades, from old-time Southern spirituals to more modern Mormon favorites. This, though, is a Christmas show, and I can tell you that last year’s holiday show proved a real treat in hearing the folks involved tackle traditional carols. Throw in the bonus of being able to check out the Masonic Temple before or after the show, and you have a great reason to go out in the middle of the week. Both shows are officially sold out, so check your KSL classifieds or lurk around the Masonic Temple before one of the shows and hope for miracle to catch one of the gigs.
“Two guys with guitars?”
That was the skeptical reaction of a friend as I was convincing him to check out Friday night’s show at The State Room featuring Alejandro Escovedo and Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo.
Two hours later, having witnessed the two trading songs and stories for an enraptured audience, the same words came through, but this time as an exclamation of the quality of what my friend had just seen.
“Two guys with guitars!”
The show was one of only two Escovedo and Hidalgo are doing together, but the crowd’s reaction Friday seemed to surprise both of them, inspiring Hidalgo to ask at one point, “Would you come see us again?”
Silly question. Both Escovedo and Hidalgo, with Los Lobos, are headlining regular visitors to Salt Lake City. And the quality of the songs that might be included in Friday’s show was in no doubt. The only question going in was how the two would re-arrange the songs to fit their simple two voices/two guitars set-up.
The answer? A little bit of “unplugged,” a little loose jamming, and a whole lot of smiles from both men as they played.
They opened the show while recovering from a “mole coma,” having visited Red Iguana before the gig. As a result, Hidalgo said the first set would be sort of “dreamy,” and indeed it was. They stuck to acoustic guitars throughout most of the first set, opening with Hidalgo singing the Los Lobos classic “Will the Wolf Survive?” and Escovedo’s “Sally Was a Cop” following after, a song from his latest album Big Station.
Hidalgo’s entrancing take on “La Pistola y El Corazon” was an early highlight; Escovedo introduced the song describing a long-ago Austin gig when his old band Rank & File played with Los Lobos, then simply sat back and watching Hidalgo’s masterful playing and spirited vocals. The duo followed with a song from another of Escovedo’s old bands, the True Believers’ “Rebel Kind,” and then Los Lobos’ “The Valley” and Escovedo’s “Rosalie.”
The second set had both men going electric, and the performances shifted from stately and emotional to more raucous and loose. It was a blast to see Hidalgo lean into some scorching solos, and to see Escovedo respond with some righteous riffing of his own. Songs like Escovedo’s “Chelsea Hotel ’78” were brilliant, as was his “Sister Lost Soul,” which they dedicated to Red Iguana’s Ramon Cardenas.
The remainder of the show provided stunning song after stunning song, with the two chatting more with the crowd as the night moved along. Escovedo’s “Castanets” and “Always a Friend,” and Hidalgo’s “The Neighborhood” were a few of the highlights of the second set.
Ultimately, the show was a resounding example of what two guys with two guitars can do on stage when the songs are as good as those penned by Escovedo and Hidalgo. They played longer than I expected, and I never wanted it to end. I’ll always go see Escovedo or Los Lobos when they come to Salt Lake City on their own, but I’ll dream of the chance to see Escovedo and Hidalgo play together again.
Daniel Nailen 