Wednesday’s Low/Damien Jurado show was not only worth our two-hour drive to Tucson, it was worth the wait after Low canceled its tour last year because of Alan Sparhawk’s mental well-being, about which he was refreshingly candid with fans.
The last (and only) time I’d seen Low was in Tempe, Ariz., in the mid ’90s when they opened for Soul Coughing. Perhaps an unlikely pairing, but I can remember people in the crowd booing during Low’s set. Idiots.
I gotta believe this is the first indie/rock show I’ve been to in which drums were used but no bass drum. It’s sort of symbolic of both Jurado and Low’s somber output. (At one point, Jurado’s drummer even put a towel over the snare drum to give it a muffled effect.)
Listening to Low and seeing Low are two completely different experiences. It’s one thing to hear the three-piece band on CD, mp3 or what have you. It’s quite another to see it – this minimalist setup of guitar, bass and stripped-down drum kit. I’m amazed how the sparsity of the songs inspire such strong emotions. Then to add the element of Sparhawk’s personal issues (of which he only apologized for the canceled dates) and the tension and feelings of the songs become that much stronger.
For me, the best song had to be When I Go Deaf off The Great Destroyer. I’ve loved Cue the Strings so much from this album and overlooked how stunning this one is. The lyrics are just so powerful. I have a feeling I’ll be listening to this song many times in the coming weeks.
One final note on Low: Sparhawk and wife Mimi Parker have absolutely gorgeous voices. It’s moving to hear and see music with such heart and feeling behind it.
Also …
My favorite record store in Tucson, formerly PDQ Records and Tapes, changed ownership and is now the strangely named Judy’s Music (I still can’t bring myself to say it). Lucky for me, the same inventory exists – a warehouse chock full of vinyl. What I spent $32 on:
LPs:
Paul Simon, Graceland
Sparks, Interior Design
45s:
Sam Cooke, Another Saturday Night/Send Me Some Lovin’
Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue/Time Warp
Tears for Fears, Shout/The Big Chair
Bill Joel, Pressure/Laura
Jean Knight, Mr. Big Stuff/Why I Keep Living These Memories
Run-DMC, It’s Tricky/Proud to be Black (picture sleeve!)
What kind of guy would I be if I didn’t share?
Eddy Grant | Electric Avenue
More …
It appears eMusic is gaining steam. Not only did I see a TV commercial for it the other day, Rolling Stone reports it’s No. 2 in digital music sales. (Get your free trial today.)
The Department of Justice is checking into digital music pricing by major labels. (Story from Reuters via Yahoo.)
Couple of new shows for Phoenix (via Stateside Presents):
>> The Cloud Room, April 2, Rhythm Room.
>> Bloc Party (!) and TV on the Radio, April 27, at Marquee Theatre.
Low is extra-gorgeous live. I’ve seen them two or three times, and they’ve been the only show where it seems entirely appropriate for the entire audience to sit down on the floor of a club. Plus Alan’s guitar tone is so hugely amazing, there’s no way to capture it on disc (though the new album certainly comes close)…
i noticed the exclamation point next to bloc party…you need to move that over to TV on the Radio’s name, because they will blow them away live. just you wait!
Don’t forget The Sounds / Morningwood at the Clubhouse March 27 😉
I saw Damien Jurado and Low in SLC on Monday. Wrote a recap and some pics if you wanna see em on my blog.
I remember seeing Low at Maxwell’s in 1999. When they asked for requests someone yelled out “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and they laughed but then busted out the first minute or so of one the most underrated songs ever.
It is nice to hear that Judy’s is still the same place as PDQ. I was down there before the Wedding Present/Tim Fite show on Sunday and was scared by the change (partially because I arrived after they had closed.)
Oh, how I would’ve loved to’ve been able to drive down to see Low….
MountMcCabe,
How was Tim Fite?? I wanted to go down but had to work. Curious to hear about his set.