It’s taken me far to long to post about this, but how bloody good were The Jayhawks?
I managed to get my hands on some free tickets to see Gary Louris and Mark Olson play down at Al’s Bar a couple of weeks back. I went down not really knowing what to expect. My favorite album from the Jayhawks guys (Rainy Day Music) was recorded during Mark Olson’s absence and I’m not all that familiar with the relatively long back-catalogue.
But the show was absolutely fantastic. Louris and Olson make a remarkable duet – they honestly couldn’t be more different. Louris, pristine in a country shirt, composed and organised. Olson slouched in a stained check shirt, dropping his capo on the floor and struggling to find the right guitar for the next song. But when the musics starts, when they play together and when they sing they complement each other perfectly.
The gig was an absolute treat – wonderful harmonies, tasteful guitar playing, great melodies. The fact that it was at Al’s Bar made it all the better (I bumped into Mark Olson in the Men’s loos and had a quick chat – where else could you do that?). It was an intimate show with a really appreciative audience which fitted the mood and the songs perfectly.
In an era of indie musicians who all self-confessed, self-taught musical fumblers it was refreshing to see simple good old-fashioned skills and tight music. Olson and Louris know their songs, their guitars (very very nice 60s Gibson acoustics) and their audience. Their familiarity with each other and the ease with which they played a mind-bogglingly good show were pretty inspirational for this jack-of-all-trades musician.
It’s been some time since I was really inspired by a musical experience – this was the perfect antidote to my winter musical blues.