"This started as a song for children, but it's too good for kids. [pause] It's not good enough for adults. You're my target audience."

He made the same joke in Somerville Monday night. The set list looks pretty similar too. Did he do "Wall of Death"? He did it here and it was very strange hearing it with just his vocal.

He made the same joke in Somerville Monday night.

Probably wasn't an ad lib then either, but it's still a good joke. Saw the punchline coming a mile away but I liked the set up enough that I didn't mind.

The set list looks pretty similar too.

That reminds me of my other (mild) complaint. I saw him on consecutive nights in 1988, plus a friend taped the simulcast early show on the second night. I think there was one song (I think it was "When the Spell Is Broken," but it might have been "Can't Win," which would make sense since it was the Amnesia tour) that was on all three set lists & no more than three or four song overlap between any two sets. Even more than that sort of variety, what I really miss is how he'd pull a cover out of left field at every show the first dozen or so shows I saw him: "Flying Saucers Rock and Roll," "Substitute" (a favorite of his), Ellington instrumentals, songs from Iran and Afghanistan, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (used for a final encore). The man was a human jukebox. His bands tend to be different configurations of people with whom he has played for decades so there aren't many constraints on him, but even those disappear when he's solo. The only thing holding him back is whether he can figure out how to distill a full band arrangement down to his guitar. I don't know if the 1000 years of popular song shows put him off covers for a while but I missed hearing him pull out some surprise.

Yes, he did "Wall of Death". He plays it pretty often (or I've just hit a buncha shows where he played it), both with a band and solo. It worked pretty well as a two piece. Was he with Danny Thompson on Monday?

I love seeing him, but Linda's the one I really want to see again. One of his websites (RT for completists, I think) said she's working on a new album, and that both of them are on son Teddy's upcoming one. Maybe she'll tour with him again.

"Substitute" (a favorite of his)

Someone kept yelling for this, which got RT riffing on how, yes, he was a substitute -- for the real RT. He was, in fact, an RT tribute band.

Was he with Danny Thompson on Monday?

Yes. And for the second half, he also had a drummer, whose name escapes me, but who lives in Marblehead, MA (!). [edit: Dave Mattacks]

Dave Mattacks

The great Fairport Convention drummer.

[edit: Dave Mattacks]

Color me envious! Dave Mattacks is one of RT's decades-long collaborators, dating back to Fairport Convention. Or as Thompson once quipped, "This song is so old that Frank Sinatra had hair. And so did I." He was the drummer on much of Richard's material from the late seventies to mid-eighties, including Shoot Out the Lights. Had Mattacks joined them at Town Hall I might have had to grit my teeth and join the obnoxious insane guy in yelling for "Hand of Kindness" as it is my favorite Mattacks performance.

By coincidence Mattacks also has a credit on Still Crazy After All These Years, though my guess is that he couldn't answer erinaceous's question about country covers. I think Steve Gadd (yay Rochester!) was the main drummer on the album. He plays the famous intro to "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover."

David, Christgau was underwhelmed by the Arthur Kane film. Then again, since he was writing about them before they were signed, and knew about and perhaps even saw them before David Jo was in the band, what's old news & shoddy execution for him could be fun new stuff for me, so I'll probably see it anyway.

You're Invited

Who: tina f. Where: Chicago When: tonight What: my pity-party

::sob::

It looks like I am most likely going to miss tonight's Hold Steady show because of crazy-roommate drama and having to move and having to do it tonight. SUCKS. I sold my tickets to a co-worker and I doubt the show will sell out - but I also doubt it will be possible for me to make it there.

Everyone can feel sorry for me now.

In Best of 2005 news: Lou Barlow's EMOH was an album that has snuck back into my heavy rotation that may just make it on the Top Ten list yet. I got the new Wolf Parade last week and the reviews I've read got it right: at first it does sound a bit like a Modest Mouse ripoff (it was produced by Isaac Brock) but further listens reveal a unique sound, great lyrics and a beginning-to-end good album. Not sure it's Top Ten material though.

Two-second album reviews:

M. Ward Transistor Radio: love it

Robbie Fulks Georgia Hard: annoyed now

Many sympathies, Tina. Feel free to vent if you need to.

It looks like I am most likely going to miss tonight's Hold Steady show

Well supposedly they're going to be on an upcoming episode of Lost if that's any consolation...(sorry about the roommate drama! I hope you have smooth housing sailing from here on out.)

Many sympathies, Tina. Feel free to vent if you need to.

Aww - it's fine. What's life without a little crazy-roommate-grows-intense-cat-fear and kicks-you-out drama? Missing a show because I was being swept away to a romantic Italian villa by some rich guy would be better though.

For a second I thought I had gone to the Onion instead - but was it yesterday that I posted the thing about five new Ryan Adams' albums? [link]

I guess that's not a prediction you're likely to ever be wrong about though. They also mention a new Neko Case album coming soon. Woot!

ETA:

sorry about the roommate drama! I hope you have smooth housing sailing from here on out.

Thanks. I heard about the Lost thing, too. Craxy!

I heard about the Lost thing, too. Craxy!

so funny! Evidently they have a friend on the writing staff or something.

I had a roommate who got a girlfriend with a cat phobia and she was terrified of my tiny and awesome (very lamented now). As much as I tried to be symbathetic about her having an actual fear she couldn't control I just couldn't help but think it was a ploy on her part to get attention for herself. Fortunately she had no say over what happened in our household so I didn't have to move or get rid of the cat or anything. When she came over she'd literally walk down the hall hiding behind her boyfriend and they'd hole up in his room.