This is the first show in months that I had been giddy for. I had it marked on my Calendar since early August when the show was announced. I had never seen either Caitlin Rose or Justin Townes Earle live, and I was just beginning to learn about each of their catalogs. Caitlin Rose I found on Daytrotter, and the wit and charm of "One of These Bottles" had me hooked instantly. I immediately adored her session, and added it to the ipod instantly. Then with Justin Townes Earle, I was unsure of what to expect, I started with Midnight at the Movies, and was instantly enamored with the title track as well as the gut wrenching "Someday I will Be Forgiven For This". I anxiously awaited Harlem River Blues, and found its 32 minutes to be my favorite 32 minutes of music this year. As I counted down the days, the troubled days found JTE and I was worried for both him and his tour. I grew anxious of what the Dallas crowd would be given his recent troubles. Dallas is a weird city, sometimes its the best crowd or it is a nightmare. I have seen performers walk of stage in such frustration that we never saw them again, or decided that the crowd was God's gift to that particular tour and play two encores. It's a strange strange beast this town.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I walked into Granada that night with my friend, and found it to be a relatively older crowd. Immediately relieved, we settled in for the end of Caitlin Rose's set, she was just as charming, and talented with her and her two band mates. I enjoyed her set immensely, and very much held her own on the night.
Justin Townes Earle took the stage with Josh Hedley on fiddle, and Bryn Davies on upright bass. I held my breath as he opened with Move Over Mama, not knowing what to expect. I at this show was as equally spellbound, by the pureness that poured from this man and his band. He was beyond charming as he wound and walked his way across the stage with only his acoustic in hand. He was funny, which was not something I was expecting, I was expecting a solemn somber show. He spoke of his arrest in Indianapolis, someone in the crowd yelled fuck Indianapolis, he said my sentiments exactly. He talked about his love of fried chicken and women, and how fried chicken had gotten him in less trouble. The stories he told about his mother and his father, were sweet and endearing, he talked about his Mama punching his daddy out, to which I said to my friend "oh the charm of a southern woman", he heard and laughed and said damn straight. It was the songs and the earnestness with which he had to get these songs out, he obliged when someone in the crowd yelled out play some Townes. He put the kaebob on his guitar and stood for a moment alone on the stage and said I'll give it a shot, but Townes had fucked this song up more than once and he went into a stark version of Rex's Blues, into a slowed down version of "Someday I'll Be Forgiven For This"ending the three song solo with "Midnight at the Movies". For the time he was on stage he had the entire room spellbound, and for this night he was as on his road as he can be, and I am grateful to have seen that.
Alot has been spoken and written of his susbantance abuse problems, Hell, the man even talked about it on stage. It's not for me to judge, and I am certainly not looking for perfection. I find the haughtiness with which some reviewers are speaking of Harlem River Blues, that NPR has pitched and sold the record for him. As though we are sheep that follow where NPR tells us to go, insulting. Whatever the circumstances are, that he recorded that record in or on, the result at least in my humble opinion is a great record. As a person I found him charming, speaking to fans as he loaded gear and posing for pictures. Teasing as I didn't know how to operate and Iphone camera, and taking the time to speak and answering questions about tours and what not.
For me this show, at least this time, I can pay it my highest compliment, it was like going to church being spellbound and freed by the time you leave.
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