Brianland

Long slow line winding around industrial waterfront of Toronto, on Lake Ontario, minus about 20 with the wind-chill, waiting to go into big square industrial box to absorb some very organic music. 

Beers, you could smoke, and it wasn’t over packed. 

He comes on about 8:35 wearing big white cowboy hat, and black western show suit. 

First 3 or 4 songs his voice was raspier, more horse, scraggled, worn, shot than I’ve ever heard it.  First time age or the weather seemed to show in my nigh-on 20 years of Bob-hoppin. 

Maggie – standard but real rockin and got the whole crowd right into it.  Very animated for Canada I thought

Lay Lady Lay – 2^nd drummer (richie) joins, larry on pedal steel

kinda stunned, don’t know if I’ve heard it before, maybe once, loved it, country, that voice & vibe.  Really takes me back to another time. 

Lonesome Day – this and others kept sounding like Leopard Skin Pill-Box;  rockin;  2 drummers works great – love the extra KICK.  huge applause, big rocker. 

I don’t believe you – harp solo.  this sure sounded like Mostly Likely You Go Your Way . . .

Tweedledee beer run. 

You Ain’t Goin Nowhere – nuther country peak, Larry back on pedal steel, harp solo #2, and p.s. the sound was GREAT.  Mind you we were in front of the board, but could hear every instrument at will. 

Cold Irons Bound – the rock n roll frenzy highlight of the night for me – no greatest song, but greatest rock ride.   The dance part of the song & dance man. 

It Ain’t Me, Babe – upright bass, larry on acoustic, always great o hear and all, but didn’t take me to that other place. 

Watchin The River Flow – that got there – love it — trancy, transportive, more country rock theme and vibe

Tom Thumbs – tries harp solo, doesn’t seem to go, so it’s tres short.   But a great set so far, pretty perfect playing, NYC ending nice to hear, and coming at the end there was a nice hoot in this young New York. 

Shooting Star – fourth, final and maybe best and longest harp solo;  only one drummer – pretty lively. 

Summer Days – great silly rock n roll song, I call it “the Chuck Berry song,” I dunno.  Or his Jumpin’ Jack Flash. 

goes off, still hasn’t said a word to the audience. 

Rolling Stone – which I thought was great, surprised, how does he keep breathing new life into these after version gazillion-and-one.  (“I know, maybe it’s  how good the song is.”)  I’ve been a little bit homeless lately and there he was bringing it all back home, singing right to me. 

intros band, into Watchtower – which, again, I was expecting to be bored by but just loved it and people were dancing and going for it. 

Larry was smiling, good two-guitar interplay / balance, but I found Freddy a little predicable.  Not complaining, but you’d think he could have a real innovative guy in that slot. 

All-in-all a cracker-jack rock-n-roll band, playing the small venues for the hard-core.  Maybe I’m spoiled by now, and that his shows kept getting better for about 5 years running, but for me kool haus was sort of average great bob, except for the beginning where it sounded like he’d just gotten up from a long night of partying. 

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Brian

BrianHassett.com

karmacoupon@gmail.com