Louris and Olson on Sat.@ Varsity
Posted on February 22nd, 2009 – 1:49 AMBy Jon Bream
They seemed as comfortable as an old pair of shoes you discovered in the closet 10 years later. Mark Olson and Gary Louris sounded so right, so comfortable together on Saturday night at the Varsity Theater in their first hometown concert together in a decade.
At times, the former Jayhawks frontmen evoked famous duos of the past — the Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel and even the Smothers Brothers. Vocally, the ex-partners had a pleasing blend and balance, with Mark’s earthiness complementing Gary’s sweetness. As performers, they were friendly without being overly talkative, and the two old friends were very much in the moment without being nostalgic or sentimental even though they were dusting off old tunes.
Olson gave shout outs to relatives from Faribault and LeSueur, and Louris gave shout outs to his pals Laurie and Co as well as the late rock critic Lester Bangs. But the duo didn’t overplay the hometown aspect of this gig.
The 100-minute acoustic set featured well known and lesser known Jayhawks numbers as well as most of the tunes on this year’s Olson/Louris disc, “Ready for the Flood.” The duo will return to the Varsity on Sunday night with perhaps a different set list.
Here is what they played on Saturday:
1. The Rose Society 2. Nothing Left to Borrow 3. Bicycle 4. Bloody Hands 5. Turn Your Pretty Name Around 6. Two Angels 7. ?? 8. Saturday Morning on Sunday Street 9. Chamberlain SD 10. Two Hearts 11. Sister Cry 12. Black Eyes 13. Doves & Stones 14. Over My Shoulder 15. Waiting for the Sun 16. When the Wind Comes Up 17. Life’s Warm Sheets 18. Settled Down Like Rain ENCORE 19. Precious Time 20. Pray for Me 21. Blue SECOND ENCORE 22. My Gospel Song for You 23. I’d Run Away
What did you think of the show?
2 Responses to "Louris and Olson on Sat.@ Varsity"
everyone keeps saying this is their first hometown concert together in a decade…
do you not count the Jayhawks reunion on New Years Eve 2004 at the 400 Bar?
it was an amazing night
Mark Olson (with Gary Louris, Marc Perlman and Tim O’Reagan)
400 Bar
Minneapolis, MN
12/31/04
First set > Poor GW / Say You’ll Be Mine / Walking Through Nevada / Blue* / Will I Be Married* / George Bush Industriale / King Of Kings* / Image Of Me* [Harlan Howard] / I Still Miss Someone* [Johnny Cash] / Waiting For the Sun* / Walk With Them / Portrait Of a Sick America > Crowded In the Wings > Linda Lee (medley)
Second Set > December’s Child / One Eyed Black Dog Moses / Pray For Me / Sing Me Back Home [Merle Haggard] / Over My Shoulder* / Clouds* / If You Really Want Me To, I’ll Go* [Delbert McClinton; recorded by the Sir Douglas Quintet ] / Two Angels* / End Of the Highway, Rumsfeld / Ain’t No End* / Martin’s Song* / Reason To Believe* [Tim Hardin] / Six Pack On the Dashboard* / My Own Jo Ellen* / Take Me With You (When You Go)* / Still We Have a Friend In You*
Encore - I Must Be Somebody Else You’ve Known* [Merle Haggard; recorded by the International Submarine Band] / Get the Load Out* / Crowded In the Wings* >
Mark Olson - vocals, electric guitar, bass, dulcimer, keyboards / Gary Louris - vocals, electric guitar / Marc Perlman - bass on * / Tim O’Reagan - drums, vocals
alright, i realize that this is their first BILLED show together in a decade, i can understand that, but they’ve shared the stage together a handful of times in the past 10 years in town, and that 400 Bar show, while rough, is more than worth mentioning at least IMO, at least from a historical standpoint.
/endrant
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