The Revival Tour hit Little Rock and hit it hard. Four talented main acts and several other gifted musicians took the stage at Juanita’s by storm.
I got to the venue early to ensure a good spot, but quickly had to leave because security said there were no cameras allowed. I got back to the stage area quickly, with a 24oz Pabst Blue Ribbon in hand, and anxiously awaited the start of the show. The venue quickly filled up, and the show started very near on time, which I still find unusual for most places. However, that was fine by me.
Tom Gabel, of Against Me!, was first up to the microphone. He walked up with an acoustic guitar and a swagger in his step and commenced to play. As he started, nearly everyone in Juanita’s, who was standing in the vicinity of the stage, inched forward to get closer to Gabel. His voice was kind of grating, but I expected that because I knew of his punk roots in Florida. Nonetheless, he’s got a commanding presence on stage and the ability to play his heart out. I was not necessarily there to see him, so I didn’t focus on his songs as much as I should have, but I am interested in his solo project, so I’m going to check it out in the near future.
After Gabel played for half an hour or so, Tim Barry, of the band Avail, came up to the stage. With just an acoustic guitar in tow, Barry started singing about life. He sang proudly of life and loss in between calling on the audience to raise their drinks. He also encouraged everyone to live life to the fullest, because as cliché as it may sound, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. He can’t be over 35 and he already seems like an old and wise soul, which I found really interesting. Even though I had never heard of him, he left a great impression on me and kept my mind spinning all night about life in general.
Ben Nichols, of Lucero, took the stage next. He came up on stage and Todd Beene, who has been known to play with the likes of Glossary, Ghostfinger, and Lucero, also came up there. Beene accompanied Nichols on the pedal steel, which was a nice departure from solely acoustic guitar. As these guys started playing, there was another surge in the crowd to get to the front of the stage. I feel like most people at the show were there to see Nichols & Gabel, which was made very apparent by the constantly changing crowd. What can I say? Nichols was Nichols. He sang with his trademark gravelly voice, and had nothing but smiles for the audience. He was on his best behavior because his parents made it out to the show. He played several of the really popular Lucero songs and several songs off his solo album. I even got a personal shout out because he wasn’t going to play the song I wanted to hear because the full band wasn’t there. Needless to say, I was amused and all the Lucero fans in the audience were happy with what they heard.
Finally, Chuck Ragan, from Hot Water Music, had his solo shot for the night. I wasn’t really paying my full attention to him, but he can sure play the harmonica. When I was focused on him, and not talking to my friends, I was captivated by his charisma on stage. I left the venue for a couple minutes to grab my camera because everyone and their mom had one there. I figured I would chance security so I could get some photos of everyone. He’s a great singer-songwriter, and I can honestly say I wish I had paid a bit more attention to his set.
The night ended with a few more songs with everyone on stage. All four guys, plus the accompaniment from the upright bassist, pedal steel player, and violinist rounded out the feel of the evening. I was particularly thrilled when they broke in to Gabel’s cover of “Wagon Wheel.” It’s a great song, and it united the crowd. Overall, it didn’t matter who you were there to see, you were singing along to that song. The show was worth the $15 cover charge, was most definitely one for the memory books, and I know I’m not the only one who left feeling that way.
-L
A couple weeks ago I was treated to one of the most relaxing evenings I have had at White Water in months. Maybe it was the small crowd or the fact that it was a lazy Wednesday evening, but I think it had something more to do with the three talented singer/songwriters that played that night.
Joseph Still, Kathryn Brawley, and Eric Christopher brought each of their unique takes on singing and songwriting.
Joseph Still of Bolivar, Missouri, was a fine predecessor to the evening, opening the show with his own rendition of one of those doggone “John Henry” songs. Sitting in one of the barroom’s chairs with only a guitar and a harmonica strapped around his neck, Joseph‘s voice broke through the smoke as he played several folksy-bluesy-rootsy songs. I’d hate to classify him as one of the above, but I’ll just say he definitely spoke his word-- about working, about trains, about life. His songs made him seem wise beyond his years and gave him a sound similar to Townes Van Zandt meets Woody Guthrie… this kid’ll surely go somewhere with what he’s got.
Kathryn Brawley, of Memphis, came up to the stage after Still. I haven’t heard a singer with such a nice and consistent voice in a long time. She kept perfect tune throughout her set and in general just had a great voice. I swear it was almost too perfect, but she did mess up a couple songs, so while the audience loved her, they could also see she was in fact human and had her small flaws. Putting that aside, the music she has recorded online is good, but she really knows how to fill up a stage with nothing more than her presence and a guitar.
One of the prevailing themes of the night was mean songs. This was no exception when Eric Christopher (pictured) played the final set of the night. Mean songs are just such an interesting glimpse in to the lives of those performing without actually being personally familiar with them. Eric, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, has relocated to Little Rock for the time being. Simply put, he sings what he knows. Whether they are about day to day life, a crazy ex, or a certain county in Kentucky, each song is mature and a pleasure to listen to. As his Myspace page says, he would rather be known for his songwriting ability than his performing. I could not agree more with him and look forward to seeing what he incorporates in to his new material. The best part of his set was when he started a song and then just stopped playing. He profusely apologized to the audience because he momentarily forgot the words, but they were having none of it and loudly encouraged him to start it over. Eric obliged, which got a rousing bout of applause from the audience, ending the night on a lighthearted, happy note.
--CF & L
(photo by: Lizzie Burnham)
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