that's all they really want

Across the lobby and through the courtyard to the Little Room we go (slipping in at the same time as David and Gillian)!

Dave Rawlings Machine, The Little Room at Largo, December 19, 2008: We had steeled ourselves to the possibility of ditching Jon Brion's set if it overlapped with the Dave Rawlings Machine show in the Little Room, but we were waffling during the second song in their collaboration. Their third song offered a short reprieve, the opportunity to commence the mental calculations--and the decision there was no way we were going to miss the other appointment.

Fortunately, it worked out nicely, though I had to wonder how long the crowd in the Little Room waited. David and Gillian took some time to set up, the Largo crew flitted in and out to tend to administrative matters, and yet more bodies flowed in through the doors. As the early arrivals from the main gig, we were able to secure seats at the back, but latecomers (including some of the guest musicians) squeezed in where they could.

As the show began, it felt like we picked up exactly where we left off the week before. Casual and playful, David and Gillian joked with the audience, tuned often, and even worked in some fashion references (David blaming his chambray shirt for certain setlist selections by Woody Guthrie and Bruce Springsteen; Gillian acknowledging a fan's comment about her new outfit).

Though I caught only two shows in David and Gillian's December residency, my guess is that if you put together all three concerts, you'd get something close to their typical single gig. Sprinkled among their originals and collaborations were other favorite covers, such as the apt and long-overdue "Sin City" and "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight." David handed over vocal duties to his "rhythm guitarist" for a couple of tunes, including "Throw Me a Rope" and a song I can't name.

And of course, there were the musical friends. Morgan Nagler returned for "Sweet Tooth," while Largo's house band in all but name (Jon Brion, Sebastian Steinberg, Benmont Tench, Sean Watkins, and Gabe Wicher) clustered around--and beyond--to finish up the show. The pinched platform couldn't hold Jon, Sean, and Sebastian, but they staked out their spots on the floor and away from the stage lights. And of course, they played as if their lives depended on it.

After three songs, two by Neil Young ("Time Fades Away" and "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World") and one that was sung by Gillian and whose provenance escaped me, the supporting players left the stage for David and Gillian's finale. They chose a song I'd had in mind since these shows were first announced and sorta assumed would come later, rather than sooner. If you've seen the Dave Rawlings Machine live before, you probably know what it is too: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."

Though I wasn't surprised by their song selection, I didn't expect what came next. Not 10 feet away from us in the back of the room, Sebastian introduced a bass beat, and standing beside him, Jon stepped up with acoustic guitar. A short while later, Gabe Wicher emerged from behind the bar to join the duo and to add some strings.

From our seats, Gabe's violin sounded especially sweet, with Jon's harmonies a close second. (For the record, our little pocket couldn't resist singing along; I don't think we were the only chanteuses in the room, but then again, I'm not sure I heard too many other voices.) Altogether, they indicated to me that we--both the artists and the audience--are just scratching the surface of possibilities at Largo at the Coronet.

See also:
» with soul power
» please take my advice

good friends also find a way

You very rarely have to ask me twice to join you at Largo, but in some instances, you don't even have to finish the sentence before the word "yes" pops out of my mouth. Largo on Fairfax's last stand would easily qualify as one of those situations, and I required no time at all to confirm my place on Heidi's reservation for the Watkins Family Hour.

Watkins Family Hour, Largo, April 24, 2008: Officially, this is the third Watkins Family Hour show I've attended, but they've popped up at so many other Largo gigs that their appearances tend to blur together. They're a very good example, however, of the Largo model at its ideal, highlighting both the artist(s) in the solo spotlight and a collaborative setting. They beg the question: Did the Watkinses take to Largo so well because of an inherent affinity for this setup, or did this setup make the Watkins Family Hour possible?

Perhaps someone else can answer definitively. All I know is that it works, and the Watkins Family Hour is another event that I'd easily recommend to anyone interested in the Largo experience.

Tonight, an entourage of familiar faces joined Sara and Sean onstage: Benmont Tench, Paul Bryan, and Greg Leisz. Later, Mike Wicher (on dobro), Gabe Wicher (on fiddle), and David Garza stepped up as well. I haven't been to enough Watkins Family Hour shows to know how many songs they repeat from week to week, but the tunes this night weren't the ones I'm used to hearing. As I recall, they presented a handful of songs either on or considered for Sara's solo album, Sean and Gabe's so-called hit "More Pretty Girls Than One," Jon Brion's "Trouble" (though Jon was not at the show that night), Sean and Paul on the Louvin Brothers' "I Like the Christian Life," and more.

The guest players made themselves known at the show as well. As always, the band members enjoyed generous soloing opportunities for each song, but they could be heard in more ways than one. Paul Bryan, for example, took the lead vocals on Gene Clark's "Why Not Your Baby" (my favorite song of the night), while Benmont was, well, all over the place. He sang and played piano, accompanied by Sara, on a ballad for someone on Valentine's Day, but unfortunately, we didn't hear his song about Leslie Feist. Apart from the rather somber tune as well as his always meticulous playing, Benmont was downright giddy, commenting on Sean's raspy voice and generally baiting Sara. He also played bass on a couple of songs. He clearly needs to tour with Mudcrutch more often!

They took some time trying to figure out how to end the night, spurning more common requests such as "Tall Buildings" and "Short People." They came to a consensus on "Cherokee Stomp," which allowed all the players to let their hair down, while simultaneously raising the roof. Yee-haw!

any old time

If it's December, I must be at Largo (or an approximation of it)! This is just the beginning, folks; in case you're wondering, there's even more where this came from in the next few weeks.

Watkins Family Hour, Largo, December 6, 2007: Technically, I've seen the Watkins Family Hour only once before, but Sean and Sara have popped in at so many Jon Brion gigs that it's easy to forget the delineations. It doesn't take a lot to convince me to come to Largo, but it's still a testament to the Watkins' easy charm and prodigious talent (as well as the huge shifts in my musical tastes) that I'd come down to see their show, even without the guarantee of *ahem* certain special guests.

Here's what you need to know about the Watkins Family Hour: They play originals and covers taken from various eras and musical styles. They don't have a setlist, but certain songs are more likely to be aired. They like to take turns soloing and make sure that every player gets their time in the spotlight. They also make you think that siblings can be musical partners without heading into Osmonds or Jacksons territory--well, maybe with a tip of the hat to the latter, though in the best way possible.

Tonight was Sara and Sean's first gig at Largo since returning from the most recent leg of Nickel Creek's farewell tour, and joining them were familiar cohorts: Benmont Tench and Gabe Wicher. I'm not sure about Gabe, but at this point, I pretty much consider Benmont to be an honorary Watkins. They should really wrap up the paperwork and make the adoption legal.

Though I don't have much to compare it to, they all seemed glad to be back. Sara and Sean mentioned it several times during the performance, and their big smiles and playful spirit spoke volumes as well. The crowd, I think, responded in kind, and I believe it was Sara who called us their best audience ever, for what it's worth.

I didn't keep a setlist, and I'm not familiar enough with their music to know what is and isn't a rarity, but I can report they took on a Benmont original, beautifully sung by Sara and artfully played by Benmont himself. There was another song that caused Sean to break the strings on two different guitars before getting a single word out; ultimately, the nylon string flamenco guitar was the only one hearty enough to take on the bluegrass tune. And to add to the covers tally, they did Jon Brion's "Trouble," Jon Langford's "Tall Buildings" (an audience request), and Hank Snow's "Any Old Time." And there a whole lot of fiddling too!

With all respect to Gabe and Benmont, the night's surprise special guest was Willie Watson of Old Crow Medicine Show. He opened with about a half-dozen songs, at least one showing off a sense of humor that often goes missing in some of the more egregiously earnest folk and Americana songs. He also returned during the main set for a few more tunes with the rest of the band, including "Rock, Salt, and Nails." The version I know best is Jeff Tweedy's cover, and just a couple of months ago, I heard Buddy Miller do it too at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Listening to Willie's version confirmed how much I prefer a spare, acoustic rendering of the song to the full-blown electric take I heard at the festival.

One of my favorite moments in Willie's performance with the rest of the band was a nearly throwaway aside Benmont made while the players were tuning. I just about cackled when Benmont, who must've taken note of Willie's boyish looks and tousled hair, paired with his standard-looking but respectable wardrobe, remarked that we could catch Willie starring in the Bob Dylan movie.

In what I understand has become their traditional closer, the band returned to the stage. While Sean and Sara took up their usual instruments, Gabe sat down at the piano and Benmont slipped into a bass guitar. The song of choice: "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5. At the moments when the vocals proved too much for Sara, Benmont kicked in; in fact, he was the star of the song, even when Gabe pitched in exactly on cue with that sweep of the piano keys (the "hey, I did it!" expression on his face was priceless). At the conclusion of the song, it really was time to leave the stage, but I believe Benmont got the last word. After Sean introduced him as "Benmont Jameson" (we think), Benmont added, "And Gabe Lee Lewis." Give that man a mic!

See also:
» been hoping that you'd drop in

that ain't working, that's the way you do it

I may have been hasty in determining my top 10 gigs of 2005; upon further consideration, my estimation of the last Jon Brion show of the year seems conservative. In the current light, it stands out as one of the more unpredictable performances of the last year. Damn my tidiness!

But I can say with conviction that the December precedent has irrevocably damaged my barometer for what may be considered an unreasonable measure to get to a Jon Brion show. It's been less than a month since my last visit to Largo, but it might as well have been 10 years. Of course, my anticipation may have everything to do with the fact that Heidi and Kande would be making the trip out. All I know is that January 20 couldn't come any sooner.

Jon Brion, Largo, January 20, 2006: Zach Galifiniakis did the intro, imitating "L.A.'s worst roommate." Combing his unkempt head of hair with a grill brush, he berated his pretend roomies for not treating pilot season with the necessary gravity, then exhorted them to drive him to Burbank for auditions for a Gilmore Girls spin-off. Did I lose you? Good, now you'll just have to hear him for yourself.

Jon bounded onstage in swell spirits. He took his usual place at the piano, but as soon as he picked up the small hammer, I knew we were in for the old treatment of "Same Thing"--the one where he crafts the rhythm by banging the piano's back panel. This song may have my favorite Jon Brion outro, and I love hearing him apply different techniques to those familiar chords.

For the next song, he picked up the black-and-white Gretsch and turned up the distortion for an instrumental that completely passed me by until Heidi informed me it was a very abstract "Mr. Tambourine Man." He stayed on guitar for "Why Do You Do This to Yourself" but built "I Was Happy with You" from all instruments. The harmonica graced "Someone Else's Problem" but not "Trial and Error." In lieu of Grant Lee Phillips's physical presence, Jon invoked him in spirit with "Walking Through Walls."

Jon then asked for requests and, after hearing a flurry of names and titles, refined his search by asking for a style of music. With his mind set, he promised us a "combination that's needed to happen for a while." It turned out to be Pink Floyd in the style of AC/DC, not unlike the version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" from last month. He kept up the screeching vocals for a good three verses or so but, perhaps for his own good, concluded the song in his normal register.

After the cavalcade of applause subsided, Jon doled out some more weird guitar noises and distortion, accompanied by keyboard improv and a touch of a couple of mouth instruments, only one of which was a harmonica. I'm not sure what the other was, except that it looked like an egg timer, and he twisted it for sound effects. This eventually sifted down to the piano, his own sampled ethereal backing vocals, and the celeste, all coalescing in the form of "Stop Your Sobbing."

On solo piano, Jon honored a request for "Meaningless," which I haven't heard in a while. It was over to the acoustic for "Love of My Life So Far" and, with the addition of a harmonica, "Knock Yourself Out." He built "The Girl I Knew" and followed up with a call for requests. Someone repeated their request for "Be My Baby" produced by Eno, but Jon shot that one down, claiming that in a way, he's been "produced by Eno--internally." But the Dylan request hit the spot, and after narrowing the field of possibilities, he settled on "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" done in the style of early '50s Les Paul; his finger-picking was especially divine.

The second set kicked off with a song build of "I'm Further On" that turned out to be more of a spectacle than normal. With the guitars not staying in tune, Jon seemed intent on punishing them for their disobedience. Following a scorching bridge, he broke all strings on one of his main guitars until it was relegated to a prop hanging off his body while he sang over the looped tracks and made imploring gestures with his hands. Even the black-and-white Gretsch did him no good, so he went back to the piano family for frenzied playing that saw him setting his head on the keyboard a couple of times as well as nearly careening off his seat while trying to pound out the notes. A harmonica and the black-and-white Gretsch showed up briefly again, to be followed by a distorted mandolin, and ending with the red hollow-body Gretsch. Whew!

The comparatively tamer "I'm on a Roll with You" and "Do Re Mi" came next on the piano, as well as a request for "Ruin My Day." For the last, he launched directly into the lyrics and skipped the divine intro. Instead, he switched the emphasis to the outro, unaccompanied by vocals or harmonies of any sort. The next song is a mystery to me, but it was a plaintive, somber number on solo piano, and it sounded like a cover. I jotted down some lyrics if anyone wants to take a stab at them:

I've been feeling out of joint--you get the point
You've been feeling out of sorts from most reports
...
There's a little bit of you in all I do
There's a little bit of me in all you see

Though Jon asked for requests, the audience's suggestions were superceded by a computerized voice on the PA calling and stretching out Jon's name. He commented that it was either Max Headroom or Fatboy Slim, but it didn't matter as its tastes were impeccable. The entity asked Jon to do XTC, a band I've long wanted to hear him tackle. Without a moment's hesitation, he jumped on the drums for a rollicking "Making Plans for Nigel."

During the break, we had spied Matt Chamberlain in the room, along with Sarah Watkins from Nickel Creek, but that didn't take away our delight at hearing Jon invite Matt to the stage. As he made his way to the spotlight, Matt noodled with the guitar hanging on Jon's body. You can't really do that on a Friday night at Largo and not expect to be called out; essentially, Matt brought it on himself, as Jon left Matt with the guitar while he headed for the drums. Such was his enthusiasm that Jon promptly broke one of the drumsticks while pounding away. As for Matt--well, let's just say that Nels Cline is better on drums than Matt is on guitar, but for that same reason, Matt may win the award for Best Sport. He played with various pedals and took on Jon, beat for beat, for a stretch. They went from fast and rocking to a slower jam, and Jon eventually took up the keyboards, the piano, and the celeste, while Matt finally reached the drums, though he kept the guitar lead in hand and applied it to the cymbals. Jon sampled and looped his moaning vocals, and emerging from the musical wilderness, they hit upon a song: "Within You, Without You."

For their second song, they churned out a heavy, fuzz-drenched version of "You Don't Know What Love Is." But song three was the favorite of the night among our little group. A couple of voices (not ours) shouted out their requests, and against all odds, they killed both birds with one stone, in the form of "Money for Nothing"--as done by Tom fucking Waits. Yeah yeah, Jon's Tom Waits treatment is all over the Web these days, but Jon and Matt actually slowed down the song so that it barely resembled the original Dire Straits tune. The crawling, off-kilter beat was infinitely more Waits than Knopfler, I assure you.

Next, the two of them kicked off a Les Paul-like passage, which somehow became Led Zeppelin's "Dazed and Confused." As they piled on the rawk, we saw Matt reaching for Jon's mandolin. We were unable to imagine what he could possibly do with that funny instrument, but there was no way we could've prepared for the denouement: a seamless merge into "Goody Two Shoes"--the second Adam Ant cover I've heard at Largo.

I think the audience was at least as tickled as the performers, but Jon didn't stop there. He invited Phil Hurley, late of the Gigolo Aunts, onstage. Phil took the guitar, then exchanged introductions with Matt. Jon also asked Gabe Wicher to join them, ostensibly for his "dulcet tones." After some conferencing, they started in on the Flying Burrito Brothers' "Sin City," though it took a couple of passes before they got the right key. Phil was certainly enjoying every minute, though Gabe looked a little timid. Matt has his game face on and didn't take his eyes off Jon for most of the number. In all, it was a sloppy and fun--just the way we like it.

Jon let Phil start the next song, instructing him to go forth in any style he pleased, be it rock, calypso, or a sound "until now, unknown to man." Phil kicked off with a heavy bluesy riff, while Jon added tons of key work on the synths, the piano, and the celeste. He also playfully admonished Phil for starting a song that no one knew the words to--though that's hardly been an obstacle in the past. From there, Jon turned it into a trademark medley/mash-up, encompassing "Fame," "Break on Through," and "Tequila," to name just three. Then on what turned out to be the final song of the night, Jon took on "Paper Moon." He even coaxed a fiddle solo from Gabe, who hadn't quite stepped up to the others' level so far that night, but he did himself proud on that last one.

Finally, Jon informed us that it was the end of the night, though no one could accuse them of going gently. Amid our groans, he challenged us to "call bullshit--on the law." He was right, of course. Besides, my face might've broken if I spent another second grinning.

set 1
Zach Galifianakis opener
piano warm-up
Same Thing [piano]
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man [gtr]
Why Do You Do This to Yourself [gtr]
I Was Happy with You [song build]
Someone Else's Problem [piano + harmonica]
Trial and Error [piano]
Walking Through Walls [song build]
Comfortably Numb * [song build]
Stop Your Sobbing [piano, keyboards, celeste]
Meaningless [piano]
Love of My Life So Far [acoustic gtr]
Knock Yourself Out [gtr + harmonica]
The Girl I Knew [song build]
Don't Think Twice It's Alright ** [gtr]

set 2
I'm Further On [song build]
I'm on a Roll With You [piano]
Do Re Mi [piano + celeste]
Ruin My Day [piano]
mystery song [piano]
Making Plans for Nigel [song build]
with Matt Chamberlain
Within You, Without You
You Don't Know What Love Is
Money for Nothing ***
Dazed and Confused/Goody Two Shoes
with Matt Chamberlain, Phil Hurley, and Gabe Wicher
Sin City
???/Fame/Break on Through/Tequila
Paper Moon

* = in the style of AC/DC
** = in the style of early '50s Les Paul
*** = in the style of Tom Waits

See also:
» top 5 Largo memories
» top 10 concerts of 2005
» the Book of Brion 2 has landed
» get a load of the lengths i go to