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Well, last night was the Steve Earle concert at Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville.

Four years ago I saw SE right there in Stuart’s, and it was one of their best concerts. Not The Everbodyfields, but... I should have taken set list notes. Forgive me.

For you ultra-serious SE fans, I suggest you just skip this review -- OR go and buy a Chris Knight CD. It’ll do you good. As for me, the best part of the night was the salad at Casa Nueva, an hour before the concert.

Opener: surprise, surprise, it was Allison Moorer, or MRS. Steve Earle. Since 2005 -- one year after I last saw an excellent SE concert. I wonder....

Start from the SE start: I’ve been playing SE songs for years. And years. And years. But I’ve always found him a little spotty compared to my favorite songwriters. For every gem, there are four or five duds.

Ta-da! Dud.

This is way low of me. Way low. But Mrs. SE stole the lower half of one of Hillary Clinton’s pant-suits. Not a fashion choice you would often see at a SE concert. There, that’s over. I’m not a fashionista, but heck, this was just the beginning of a bunch of bad choices.

Four songs into Mrs. SE’s brassy-voiced, just off-key-enough-to-be-annoying, and ultra-mediocre guitar-playing set, she launched into a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”. At that point I headed for the bar/entrance hall down below and got a second coffee – no easy feat for a newly-reformed drunk: it was better in the bar than staying to listen. My immediate thought was that it would take three plays of a double-live Fred Eaglesmith CD to excoriate this from what is left of my brain. Two minutes later, I was followed by my much-much better half, who just rolled her eyes and headed for the Marietta IPA. That’s it for Mrs. SE.

A little t-shirt, overpriced CD and DVD break and then, heeeeeeeeerrrrre’s STEVE!

He’s always a better guitar player than I expect him to be. When he plays with a band, he’s never THE guitar player -- so you forget that he is a better-than-average player -- despite the use of the same three turnarounds for each verse/chorus in every song. He has great timing, rhythm and beat. This is important, as the last two live acts I’ve seen as a paying customer were Will Kimbrough and Tommy Womack, both of whom, and especially Kimbrough are really GOOD players. Both are also wonderful, concise, well-rounded songwriters who are not living on their laurels. (And who don't make up the majority of their songs while recording their latest efforts.)

The sound was fairly good. Vocals could have been better, but heck, the sound man can’t fix enunciation.

That said, SE’s first five or six tunes were good. Good playing and fairly good vocals. Heck, it’s Steve F’n Earle. Ya know what I mean? Sure ya do. Jericho road, Jerusalem, Someday, Ellis Unit One - more folks need to hear this stuff!

Next: The Drunk in the Balcony. Yep. There’s always a drunk in the balcony. And he’s always a major nuisance. This one was. But he was also something that both the Bush administration and Steve Earle need: a Truth-Teller.

Steve Earle is using a DJ operated drum-machine and loop technology! The last guy I saw using loops was Bruce Cockburn. SE ain’t BC.

The DJ looked like a fey version of John Goodman. He sported a little superior smile on his fat little fey face that smacked of arrogance. He had a “moog” t-shirt that just gave off that new Greenwich Village ultra-hipness that SE is now evidently a part of. He spun his little turntable squeakies. He thumped his finger-activated drum-pads. He had little maracas running in the background, interfering with some spare but nicely timed dobro from SE.

(Note: SE was from Texas. Then Tennessee. Now it’s Greenwich Village. Pardonne-moi, but AMERICANA is Texas and Tennessee -- not Greenwich Village. Sorry, it’s just not. Folk music, yes -- NOT Americana.)

Then came “The Drunk in the Balcony”. Usually I hate these guys. I want to pay bikers to kick his ass. Heck, I wanna join in on the ass-kicking. But in this case HE was the hero -- not SE.

After the first DJ aided massacre, we heard this slurred voice from the balcony: “Throw the drum machine in the dumpster.” (This is obviously a take-off of the lyrics to SE's "Week of Living Dangerously".)

After the second DJ mess: “Throw the drum machine in the dumpster and fade on into the sunset.” (A very poetic Drunk in the Balcony, now.)

After the third DJ abortion: “You ain’t all that! Throw the drum machine into the dumpster.” (By now I think I have a man-crush on this drunk.)

SE brings MRS. SE out for a duet. They CO-WROTE it! It’s turrible. Three-year-olds have throw-aways better than this. The drunk in the balcony is back and I want to buy him another but he’s still stuck on the drum machine.

The COVER of Copperhead Road. If you don’t want to do it right, don’t do it. I KNOW it’s your song. I’ve done it so many times, I don’t care if I ever hear it again, but if you feel like you have to do it, please do it right.

I did like the posing at the end. There's something pretty f'n funny about a guy in a plaid western shirt, baggy jeans, old cowboy boots and stringy hair doing a broadwayesque version of a guitar hero pose, complete with hip thrust and fist in air. I'm fairly certain it was sarcasm on SE's part. Either way, very funny. Maybe it's his way of dealing with the nine-thousandth repeat of Copperhead Road.

And one more last-last thang: if you are such a liberal, that big, black Silver-Eagle better be running on F’n vegetable oil. And remember, Steve Earle is a “union guy”, and thanks to him, there was a bass player and a better-than-average drummer signing up for unemployment tonight, replaced by a fey John Goodman DJ.

My take on the whole thing: God Bless Fred Eaglesmith. And Steve Earle ain’t Steve Earle anymore.

oh, wow.....

i reckon i will be the first one to respond...i can tell you, my friend, this is America and, God bless, we are all entitled to feel what we feel...and express it...i will go out on the limb with you and say i've never been much of a fan of Dylan or the Beatles...so, if you get rocked, i most likely will, too.

first off, congrats on being sober and staying that way....i have nearly 10 months in the same shape now and, this may surprise you, i grant Steve Earle and his music a lot of assistance in my getting clean...he inspires me a thousand ways from Sunday and that's just the truth...

i am nearly as old as Steve, grew up real close to him in Texas and have seen him change so much since those first days....and, except for the "Shut up and Die" years, i have always loved his music...the folks on this forum know that, and they forgive me...

my heart goes out to him, and you, too, he's been clean 13 yrs and that ain't easy and you know that...it's been hell everyday for me the last 10 months and i reckon there won't be a day for me when i don't think of a little shot glass with Jose Cuervo or a few Vicodin in the morning...

i love Steve Earle even if i really don't know him....for me, the two times i've seen him on this tour, in my adopted home state of MN, have been pure magic.  granted, i'm not that thrilled with the dj and he did kinda irritate me at the Duluth show, but Steve is taking chances like he always had...only nowdays his chance won't end up with a toe tag at the end of the line...

every minute of these shows were a joy for me...i hope he sings until he's 90 yrs old and they are having to haul me to his shoes in a wheelchair or rascal....

i love Allison's voice even though i must be honest and say i go to the shows mainly for Steve....i think they are both blessed to have each other....i think the music he writes, even though some of dismissed it as "chick stuff" is wonderful...the one and only boy who ever wrote music for me ended up the victim of a drunk driver, Texas 1978....but, i think it's a beautiful way to express your love...and if I had Steve Earle writing love songs for me....well, that's a long story, too.

i'm with you on the drunks...there weren't any that i heard in Minnesota, but this is pretty much a white bread sorta place to live...they were all well behaved, too well behaved....i felt kinda goofy jumping up and screaming, but that's me...

copperhead road...wow.  i can't even go there.....don't blame Steve on the fucked up employment mess...music is a pretty iffy way to feed yourself...i reckon the "out of work" bass player and drummer can fend for themselves....

anyway....thanks for being a part of this forum....some of the best folks in the world are here....i guess maybe i can claim myself a part of that family....they, too, have helped sustain me in my life's struggles...

and, i bet Steve would be the first to tell you thanks for being at his show....

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But nothing is something that there's plenty of
In time we'll all get our share

I guess I get the folk music vs Americana dichotomy (sorry, big word) on one level, but I don't make that distinction.  That's pretty straight: the move to Greenwich Village ticks you off, sounds like that bothers a lot of folks - but it shouldn't.  Nashville is a lot more affordable for a struggling muscian, but how is it better?  I frequented the village as a young guy, late sixties, it has always been a place to congregate for musicians - not just Dylan et al, but doo-wop groups, jazz, r&b, folkies.  Washington Square was an amazing gathering place, probably still is, maybe more of a symbol these days.

Just caught a concert by Steely Dan at a local casino venue, 12 piece band with backup singers and horn section, and yes, a drunk woman screaming right behind me.  Though it was a drunken teenager, the poor couple to my left went home early, or moved due to the raucous , earsplitting yells at totally inappropriate times.  She was blond, probably 50 (I still don't get it) and was just ignored, though my ears are still ringing.. 

Concert as great -  tight band, complex arrangements, a very mellow, appreciative crowed. But the point is: tickets were $45-$90.  Got our money's worth, but perhaps the smaller venues,length of the tour help dictate things like deejays and large bands.  And a tour bus is a heck of a lot more efficient than everyone driving their own vehicle, so I don't get the liberal hypocrisy argument. I really never understood how some SE fans are surprised, shocked by his politics, how could anyone not know what he stands for  if they listen to his music.

Seems like a microcosm for what's going on in political campaigns - paint the other guy as some sort of liberal effete, nuanced (pardonne-moi) French elitist.  Pretty hard to do with SE, he is still pretty down-to-earth, talks for the common man, americana or folkie.  I believe Woody Guthrie died in NYC, Dylan and others made it in Greenwich Village and moved on.

One thing I learned from Steve Earle's music: trust it, stay with it.  Might be a simple chord, little riff or lilt, the payoff will be there, if it is right.  Hope he does not fade away any time soon, I think he'll survive NYC intact, move on again some day.  It is still America. last time I checked, we still get to live where we want to.

well, some of us get to live where we want to....i want to be in Texas, have lived in MN now for nearly 21 years...but, finally, since really getting sober, i am starting to accept it as a pretty good place to be....

i guess i get kinda emotional about Steve, but i appreciate the chance to speak up....and, like you said, you get a lot more for your money with Steve than i've heard about other folks...for me, it was $500 worth of music for $37.00....

as far as the drunken woman, and i don't mean to lump anyone in any group because i am a 50-yr old (recovering) drunk myself...but, maybe she should have made it to a 12 step meeting that night, but i think steve has said it himself, i reckon she can be where she wants to be...it's just too bad that kinda stuff wrecks it for others around her...and us.....the blond part, i am guessing, was from Lady Clairol, but maybe i am just jealous because i have so much untreated gray hair!

i don't think Steve will ever fade away, until he's gone home....at least, i hope i'm not around to see that....

God bless Steve Earle...

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But nothing is something that there's plenty of
In time we'll all get our share

hey truthteller - "ouch"... I'm saddened to read that you didn't enjoy Steve's concert... it almost sounds like you didn't have a chance to hear any of the songs off of Steve's latest album before the show, and maybe you were unaware of the dj thing... I do know many people have enjoyed Steve's and Allison's shows on this tour.

The only thing that bums me out about your review, are the stabs at Neil because of his physique, and Allison because of her clothing choice... Tisk tisk... so unimportant and definitely not necessary. It's all about the music.

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Yours forever blue xx

See, everyone has a right to an opinion and all that... but seriously, imagine how much happier the world would be if people could just focus on the frickin positives. For example, this "truthteller" fellow. Rather than spend time creating an account here only to tell the world how much you DISLIKE something, try doing something positive. Go spend time with your wife. Play with your kids. Take your dog for a walk, anything. Whatever it is you choose, it's going to have more impact than coming here and bitching and complaining. Because no here is going to agree with you, or even care.

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"Think for yourself. Question authority." - Timothy Leary

Well, if only i could look as "bad" as Allison does....sigh.....for me, the sound of her voice and the look in her husband's eyes when they sing together is enough...

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But nothing is something that there's plenty of
In time we'll all get our share

kmb117:

See, everyone has a right to an opinion and all that... but seriously, imagine how much happier the world would be if people could just focus on the frickin positives. For example, this "truthteller" fellow. Rather than spend time creating an account here only to tell the world how much you DISLIKE something, try doing something positive. Go spend time with your wife. Play with your kids. Take your dog for a walk, anything. Whatever it is you choose, it's going to have more impact than coming here and bitching and complaining. Because no here is going to agree with you, or even care.

 

Thank you Kyle, you echoed my sentiments as well.  What is with all this negativity, anyway, in "truthteller"'s review (such as it is)...and the personal attacks regarding appearance.  It is so so irrelevant.  As if we are all perfect...I don't think so.  It is all about the music....and what a person stands for.   I find it hard to understand why anyone would be surprised at Steve's politics if they knew anything about him at all.  And personal attacks on him, Allison, and Neil only diminish the attacker.   I'd venture to say that we stand up for Steve and those around him no matter what.  And, Neil McDonald is a very pleasant and professional guy, and I was happy to meet him, if only briefly, at the Fargo concert.   The disrespectful remarks need to stop.

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"I got me a fearless heart"

You know it's gonna be trouble when someone calls himself "truthteller."

Amen.

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"I got me a fearless heart"

I was at the Nelsonville show.  All I can say to the "truthteller" is keep coming back...

I was at the Nelsonville show and loved it.  I own Steve's last three albums and was aware that he was touring with a DJ.  In fact the DJ was the highlight of the night for me!!!!  I could not remain in my seat for Satellite Radio, even though everyone else seemed to.  The couple in front of me left early with a look on their face like they expected him to play Copperhead Road 20 times in a row.  Or it could have been the verbal jabs at Republicans that ticked them off, they looked like very stauch rebublicans (I have Rebublicandar).  Anyway, it was a great night!!  Very uplifting, hopefull, and inspiring for me.

If eating at a trendy, arrogant, wanna be hipster restauraunt (casa) is the hilight of your night I feel very sorry for you.  You aparently are missing the point and that seems to frustrate you.

The Everybodyfields are great song writers and I enjoy them a lot (seen them 6 times), but to tell the truth truthteller they are going to peek before they are 35.  There is a reason Steve has been doing this as long as he has, and will do it as long as he wants. 

I heard the Everybodyfields are touring with a drummer now, think you will be able to handle that "change"? 

          

Bobcat:

If eating at a trendy, arrogant, wanna be hipster restauraunt (casa) is the hilight of your night I feel very sorry for you. 

LOL!

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kmb117:

We don't have a cure for cancer but we've got 16 million different versions of the Lord of the Rings. What. The. Fuck.

Does any one remember that crazy inbred Lynyrd Skynyrd fan-ny from the other place? Seems Like truthteller and him would make "Good Bed Fellows." As the greatest yank of all time once said.... "When the conduct of men is designed to be influenced, persuasion, kind unassuming persuasion, should ever be adopted. It is an old and true maxim that 'a drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall.' So with men. If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his heart, which, say what he will, is the great highroad to his reason, and which, once gained, you will find but little trouble in convincing him of the justice of your cause, if indeed that cause is really a good one." Abraham Lincoln. We all would love to see the