Old 97's

June 21, 2013 @ Two Brothers Summer Festival

 

By Andrew Smith

 

As a young man, I happened to date a Texas gal for a spell. That's when I found out Texans learn more Texas history than U.S. history in school. This revelation seemed to go along with one of the stereotypical Yankee views I already had about Texans: They're quite enamored with themselves. Why, only in a state populated by such folks would a 1986 government anti-littering campaign using the phrase "Don't Mess with Texas" be adopted as a boastful, finger-wagging warning to the rest of us. Despite my skepticism about the greatness of "the Republic," Texas has earned its bona fides in one regard: it has produced some of our greatest artists -- Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett are just a handful that come to mind. After seeing Dallas natives Old 97's for the first time at the Two Brothers Summer Festival on Friday in Aurora, I would have no problem adding them to that esteemed list.

 

The show was a nice mix of songs from all periods of their 10-album career. Early on, bassist Murry Hammond told the crowd the band needed to practice playing some of its older material as it had a few "entire album" shows coming up. The shows he referred to were all taking place at the Brooklyn Bowl in New York City: its first album, Hitchhiking to Rhome, on June 27; its second album, Wreck Your Life, on June 28; and its third album, Too Far to Care, on June 29. Early in the set, it was clear frontman Rhett Miller was a bit knackered from being on the road and playing a show in Milwaukee the previous night, but he was a pro and goaded himself to a high-energy performance nevertheless. Miller's voice was in good form from the start, too, and that was good news: He had hemorrhaged his vocal chords in mid-April and had to go on a full week of rest, including no talking.

 

The lads started the show with an enjoyable mix of expected rave-up and twangy numbers to get the crowd going. Appropriately, they led off with the twangy "Barrier Reef" and its opening line, "Empty Bottle was half empty," referencing the Chicago music venue. After the mix of rave-up and twang, the band switched gears and played two mid-tempo stunners: "Lonely Holiday" and "Weightless." After another pair of twangy and rave-up numbers in successon, the band went on a fantastic seven-song run sprinkled with more of its mid-tempo magic, including "Let the Whiskey Take the Reins," "Question," "Salome," "Busted Afternoon," and "Rollerskate Skinny." While the band is supremely versed at rave-up and twang, it's the midtempo material that really lets its world-class songwritng shine through while also letting Miller's dulcet tones and well-penned lyrics get in front of music.

 

After this wonderful seven-song "heart of the set," the gents went back to the rave-ups and the twang for the rest of their main set. During one song, Miller had a photographer at the front of the stage take a guitar pick from him and hand it to a little girl who was enjoying the show with her mom in the front row. Later in the song, Miller mouthed the word "thanks" to the photographer for helping him bridge the gap between the stage and the audience barrier. The small moment represented what the band had been doing all night: successfully connecting with the crowd through its energy, stage banter, good will, and songs.

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For the encore, the band played two more outstanding mid-tempo numbers -- "Wish the Worst" and, with a nod to the state it was performing in, "Champaign, Illinois" -- before closing with its feverish trot "Timebomb."

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Overall, the show was well balanced bwtween rave-ups, twang, ballads, and mid-tempo numbers. The decison to have a slower, seven-song sequence smack dab in the middle of their main set might have been a pacing decision, but it worked superbly from an artistic standpoint as well.

 

While Nashville country music has become, as a friend describes it, "the new '80s rock" in recent years, most of the alt.country bands of the '90s and early Aughts have never quite garnered the mainstream attention their songwriting deserves. It's a shame, too. Here's to the hope that the Old 97's stick around long enough to finally get the acclaim they're due -- not just as a Texan treasure but as an American treasure.

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The setlist:

 

Barrier Reef

Won't Be Home

Victoria

Stoned

W. TX Teardrops

Lonely Holiday

Weightless

The One

Can't Get a Line

Let the Whiskey Take the Reins

Every Night is Friday Night (Without You)

Question

Salome

Mama Tried

Busted Afternoon

Rollerskate Skinny

Streets of Where I'm From

Dance with Me

White Port

Big Brown Eyes

4 Leaf Clover

Doreen

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Wish the Worst

Champaign,Illinois

Timebomb

 

 

Photo Gallery

Old 97's

June 21, 2013 @ Two Brothers Summer Festival

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Old 97's

June 21, 2013 @ Two Brothers Summer Festival

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Old 97's

June 21, 2013 @ Two Brothers Summer Festival

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Old 97's

June 21, 2013 @ Two Brothers Summer Festival

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Old 97's

June 21, 2013 @ Two Brothers Summer Festival

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Old 97's

June 21, 2013 @ Two Brothers Summer Festival

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Old 97's

June 21, 2013 @ Two Brothers Summer Festival