Thought that title would get your attention..
Yes--I saw Tom Waits, as did Matt Cook, Slim Chance Kelly (as he's told
ya), Jim Catalano and Tony Renner..there may have been more P2ers in there
some place...Mr. Roy Kasten. making a completely unexpected appearance at
SXSW, offered me 40 bucks and a Bob Dylan cigarette lighter for the Waits
ticket, but I don't have any Bob Dylan cigarettes, so it was no go...
Rather than repeat the well-desreved raves posted..I'll offer up .some
impressions and thoughts on the Waits show..which sure did become the topic
of the week. The man has proven to have a tremendous cross-generational
pull!
I seemed to be the only one I could find anywhere who'd actually seen him
perform before--on the Penn campus in Philadelphia some 25 years ago,
opening for Maria Muldaur and the Benny Carter big band...and he was
singing Ol' 55 and Shiver Me Timbers, with just the first two still
semi-obscure albums out...Wait's self-imposed concert exile at 8 years
minus a charity appearance or two is in fact now as long as Dylan's '66-'74
stretch--so I know well what it's like for fans who've come along without
any chance to see him.
I think this show also proves that it's generated some myths--the biggest
being that Waits' extraordinary music had some drastic sea change when he
shifted labels, which puts him in a sort of gravelly post-modern and hiphop
mode which makes him one OK "boomer' performer for the alt. generation.
Only thing is--this performance was extraordinarily LIKE what he's always
done--mopey to bizarre to heartrending songs, broken up by deadpan beatnik
comedy raps, and all terribly endearing and unique and rhythmic. Those who
dismiss the "Asylum Years" work oughta listen again--cause it strikes me
more than ever now as one continuing, growing body of work that's often
brilliant.
What did evolve over the years--partly cause he uses a swell band rather
than sticking with the pure piano/lounge singer approach (he still did that
too Saturday night)--is pay a whole lot more attention to the snippets of
sounds in a line and the sound of the words rather than their conventional,
literal meaning... Now he bends half way down to the floor, punches the
rhythm with his lil fist till they get in the groove, and starts to go--the
words are often incantations, not narratives
Did I mention that in the audience I spotted The Gourds (Matt Cook, who
apparently likes the Gourds somewhat, ihad just come back with them from
shooting video of their appearance in the Park)..The Silos, and Alejandro
Escovedo were on hand too. I'm sure there are other performers there, but
it's interesting to see..isn't it... that THESE folks see something vital
to attend in this Waits show..I just bet that Beck gets this guy too.
I'd suggests that somebody like Smilin' Jim (known not to love those
Gourds but asking what it IS with them to a fan like me) would find a way
into their often amazing music--as shown on their very good new disc-- by
considering that Tom Waits connection...the sounds of the words matter, as
Lucinda might say, the rhythm and the blues of 'em, the bits and pieces
constructed for emotional meaning and body thumping meaning--something far
removed, of course, from lyrics in a good twang song. It's something else.
As I was saying, I heard and saw an amazing continuity in Tom Waits show,
laughs, smiles and tears...and if that goes all the way back to his first
hits, as delivered by those very un-alt Eagles and Bette Midler fergodsake,
so be it. ...I hope he'll take up the audience's challenge to get the heck
back on tour so you can see and hear this too. Even if there's no twang
content!
So whooa,, that's more than enough now...more on SXSW in general when I
get the chance and see what others report wiothout my help! (including
being stuck outside the door of the Continental, watching James Inteveld in
the downpour..just before then police showed up to break up the fire law
busting crowd waiting to see Social Distortion's Mike Ness perform
rockabilly....I saw an electrifying Wanda Jackson with Rosie Flores,
Marcia Ball and more instead, avoding the 2-hour Ness wait!)
Thans to all the P2ers there for being so nice...as always.
Barry M.
