Jackson Browne @ State Fair
Posted on September 1st, 2009 – 12:14 AMBy Jon Bream
Let’s rethink Monday’s Jackson Browne concert for a moment. What if he eliminated a couple of those obscure, dull songs from the 1990s from the first set, skipped the (unnecessary) intermission and just played the concert straight through.
Then, it wouldn’t have been such a tired and tiresome first half, and a fun and musically ambitious second half. Instead, it probably would have been a pretty good concert that would have satisifed fans of Browne’s classic 70s and 80s stuff and allowed him to show that yes, the Hall of Famer still creates thoughtful if not compelling music.
Click here for the full review. Here are the sets Browne played:
Set I: I’m Alive (1993)/Barricades of Heaven (96)/I’ll Do Anything (93)/Fountains of Sorrow (74)/Time the Conqueror (2008)/Off of Wonderland (08)/In the Shape of a Heart (86)/Too Many Angels (93)/The Naked Ride Home (02)/Take It Easy (73)
Set II: Jamaica Say You Will (72)/Rock Me on the Water (72)/Doctor My Eyes (72) w About My Imagination (02)/Lives in the Balance (86)/Going Down to Cuba (08)/Just Say Yeah (08)/The Late Show (74)/For a Dancer (74)/The Pretender (76)/Running on Empty (77) ENCORE I Am a Patriot (89)/The Load Out w Stay (77)
9 Responses to "Jackson Browne @ State Fair"
Let’s not forget the excellent segue into the Isley’s “It’s Your Thing” in the middle of “Patriot”. Nice surprise helped along by the excellent back up singers!
Jon:
I think you should focus on the musianship of Browne and his band these days- just fantastic.
About the first set-he played two of his most beautiful and dramatic songs back-to-back: “In the shape of a heart”, and “Too Many Angels”.
His presentation of the music last night was wonderful.
We are lucky to still have him performing live!
And the dude still has ‘the hair’ going for him.
Did he talk about Daryl Hannah at all?
Jon: Thanks for covering the show, for all your great writing through the years. You’re a reason I still take the paper.
The dilemma you solve with your proposed revision of the set list Jackson spelled out midway through the second set when he talked about the fans who want to hear hits and the ones that want to hear some of the more “dire selections.” When he talked about the surprising intimacy of a state fair concert in the face of the drunken fool screaming for “Running on Empty,” he was creating space for those who came to hear the 90’s songs you find dull (though they show his song-writing craft at its best) and for songs off the new album (which I am not yet willing to dismiss as you appear to do - thoughtful but not compelling?).
Yes, the two sets slowed down the show, but this is exactly what he wanted. He’s not still at this so that he can rock his redneck friends with “Running on Empty” for the 5,000th time. I don’t suppose you really think that he doesn’t know how to toss off a 90-minute show of hits that wouldn’t bore the KQRS listeners on their fourth beer. On this note, the “unnecessary” intermission seemed like a gracious concession to his aging fans, judging by the way they flocked to the restrooms and porta-potties.
The only tired part of the show was the look on Jackson’s face when he forgot which verse of Running on Empty he was singing in the supposed “climax” of the evening. The only disappointment in the concert was for those who need some moment from the seventies served up to them over and over and are, as Jackson joked, afraid they’ll miss it if they sneak out to the bathroom.
Thanks for posting the set list!
I thought it was a great show. I’m sitting here listening to the solo acoustic vol. 1 disc and realizing just how amazing that ensemble he had on stage with him last night really was. I agree that the show had it’s slow moments - but we sure got our money’s worth; and for the last show of a year-log tour, it had a lot of cool magic to it that I bet was missed by the audiences at the beginning of the tour.
We more than “tolerate his political forays.” First of all, many of us agree with them and it’s refreshing to hear musicians who will stand up for their convictions without caring whether someone might be offended. Some of these “political forays” include Lives in the Balance, For America, Going Down to Cuba and the one I was really sorry he didn’t play, “Drums of War” from the new CD.
I thought he did a fine job of mixing old and new material, not wanting to be seen as an oldies act trotting out the 30-year-old hits with nothing to sink your teeth into.
Browne may have left off some classics, but it’s nice to see him selecting generously from 1993’s “I’m Alive” album, which I contend is his finest work and one of the best “breakup” albums ever produced. Thank you, Daryl Hannah!
Let’s rethink a thoughtless review. First, kudos to Scott, John O, and Jeff for their thoughtful, insightful comments. It was not only a “pretty good” concert, it was superb. I was there so I really don’t need a typically watered-down synopsis from some wanna-be musician (which is generally what music critics are).When you are looking for another job after your newspaper folds, perhaps you can get a job as a roadie for Browne. He will still be writing, recording and performing thoughtful music as he has always done.
What obviously passed you by was the fact that us boomers were happy with the pacing, the heartfelt comments and the magical repoire that developed between the performers and audience. This was totally unexpected in a setting such as a state fair. Jackson commented on this point and the unusual intimacy that transpired. Here’s the deal. The band was great, the back-up singers were spectacular, the arrangements were fresh and dynamic and the instramental solos were eclectic and stirring. The songs are a national treasure.
As far as “unecessary intermission”, give me a break. Few artists have the ability, talent and energy to sustain a long, creative career and still remain relevant as Jackson Browne has so sucessfully done. I saw and heard alot of good and loving energy on that stage at the fair. Maybe it’s you that’s tired Jon.
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