Going to see The Jayhawks is like catching up with old friends. Since discovering them with Hollywood Town Hall (American, 1992), their songs have been part of my life's soundtrack.
I had not seen them since moving to the Pacific Northwest almost eight years ago, the longest stretch I'd gone without a show from them, singer Gary Louris solo or his indie 'supergroup' Golden Smog. The show I caught was the final in a three-night run at Seattle's Tractor Tavern, as part of the venue's year-long 30th anniversary concert series.
Small room. A little over 400 people. I would imagine they could pull 800 or so here so it was a treat to be packed into a real club with them. Sound was terrific, too.
The band looked great. It's hard to believe Louris is going to be 70. His voice is in fine form, seeming to get stronger as the night wore on.
Their songbook is so expansive, there is no way they could hit all the high points in 90 minutes, though they hit many of them.
Always on the lookout for the tapers in the crowd, the guy recording this video was not hard to pick out - he was not even stealth. He had a bracket mounted to a pillar just off stage right holding an iPhone mount. He captured a great-looking and sounding recording. Always grateful for that.
I do hope I get to see the band again, but if I don't, I get to carry memories of many great shows, across several decades and lineups, including one bizarre night with them after a show in NYC, which is a story for another time...
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