The term “feel-good” usually works better with movies, but it could be perfectly applied to the Jayhawks reunion last night. It was just a smile-inducing, cockles-warming kind of set. The smattering of rain that came and went didn’t damper anything and maybe even added to the summer-in-MN vibe. And the band sounded a tad loose and, yes, a bit like they were winging it – which is to say they were perfect. The Olson/Louris acoustic shows were nice, but it was even better to once again hear the full arrangements of “I’d Run Away,” “Martin’s Song,” “Settled Down,” etc. And the set list was hardly a basic reunion walk in the park, as they threw in several less-than-standard old gems (”Red’s Song,” “Real Light,” “Tomorrow the Green Grass”), a couple gospel nuggets in keeping with the church setting (one of which I didn’t even know), and then they brought out the Basilica choir to add to the overlapping harmonies on “Blue.” Holy crap, that was great. 

I’ll have a full wrapup review of both nights of the Basilica party online Sunday (in print Monday). Click here for a mini-report and photo gallery from Friday night. Here’s the Jayhawks set list:

Witchita / I’d Run Away / Take Me With You (When You Go) / Up Above My Head (old Sister Rosetta Tharpe gospel song) / Waiting for the Sun / Red’s Song / Settled Down Like Rain / Two Angels / ?? (another gospel tune) / Two Hearts / Real Light / See Him on the Street / Nothing Left to Borrow / Martin’s Song / Over My Shoulder / TTGG / Blue / Bad Time / Sister Cry / Miss Williams Guitar

As for the Black Crowes, I got there in time to hear the final jamming moments of “Thorn in My Pride,” followed by “Poor Elijah” and then the one-two knockout punch “Hard to Handle” and “Remedy.” No Gary Louris guest spot this time.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 11th, 2009 at 8:56 am and is filed under Local, Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.