Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin & the Guilty Ones

played the Cat's Cradle this past Sunday night, and I was lucky enough to be there.  The show was excellent from start to finish.  Dave Alvin (in the cowboy hat below) did most of the talking, some of the singing, and a great deal of excellent guitar playing.  His big brother Phil, from whom he was estranged for a very long time, stood at the center microphone and looked barely alive--until he began to sing.

Click an image to see a larger version.

Then, Phil's tremendous blues voice filled the hall, and the quiet man in the middle became a force to be reckoned with.  I've always preferred Dave's rougher voice, but there's no denying the power in Phil's.

I've been a fan of these guys--as the Blasters and singing separately--for about thirty years.  I've gotten to see Dave in concert previously, but this was the first show I've caught that included them both.  Their new album, Lost Time, is very good, but their live show is better.

Give a listen to a song or two of theirs.  If you like what you hear and their tour brings them near you, do not miss their show.

YR15 rocked

Yep Roc records is a small label that features quite a few artists I like. When I learned they'd be hosting YR15, a multi-day 15th anniversary celebration at the Cat's Cradle, I was immediately interested. When I saw, though, that the Thursday night roster included both Dave Alvin and Nick Lowe, I knew I had to go.

So I did.

 I would have gone for Dave Alvin alone; Nick Lowe was a bonus, as were the many other artists on the roster for the night. I've been a fan of Lowe's for a long time, but I've remained a stone Dave Alvin fan since I first heard one of his songs, and I've never seen him live.

Until tonight.

This choice was expensive, because in a week in which work has kept me up until about six a.m. each night, taking time off to go to a show would be sure to cost me.

I didn't care. I had to do it.

I'm so very glad I did.

The full show ran 4:51--yes, four hours and fifty-one minutes of music and, between acts, emcee John Wesley Harding talking and singing.  One of his songs was the hilarious "Making Love to Bob Dylan."



The opening act of the night was a band I'd never heard of, Jukebox the Ghost.  I loved them!  They were fun and talented and great at producing catchy tunes.  Here's a silly one, "Schizophrenia."



Near the end of their set, they brought out a local chorus group and did a song with those kids.  The kids then came back after Jukebox the Ghost to sing Nick Lowe's "What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding?"



I teared up listening to them.  I remember being a hippie kid and thinking my generation would end war and change the world for the better.  We didn't, of course, but I like to think we can all keep working toward those goals.

Dave Alvin did a half dozen or so wonderful songs, including this one.



Damn, what a show.  I wish everyone I know could have gone.