Gary Louris & Mark Olson @ the Varsity - 02/22/09

Gary Louris & Mark Olson
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Varsity Theater (Minneapolis, MN)

I attended a Jayhawk’s show at First Avenue in Minneapolis in what must have been late spring or summer of 1997 shortly after the release of “Sound of Lies”. For those not familiar with the history of The Jayhawks, absent from this particular album and subsequent tour was founding member Mark Olson. He had recently parted with his musical compatriots, moved west with wife Victoria Williams, and would ultimately record again a little while later with a new collection of friends under the name Mark Olson & the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers. When tickets went on sale for that 1997 First Avenue Jayhawks’ show, I didn’t hesitate to snatch one up for myself. I had absolutely fallen in love with the album “Tomorrow the Green Grass”. And although “Sound of Lies” didn’t quite resonate with me in the same manner, I wasn’t going to miss out on an opportunity to see them live at First Ave. In looking back, perhaps my expectations for the concert without Mark Olson were a bit too high. I wanted to believe though that Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, and the other remaining members of the band would shine just as bright without him.

I can’t honestly say I remember much about that actual 1997 concert. I distinctly remember however emerging from First Avenue after the show with a couple of my friends, brothers Mike and David Kargas. As we meandered the night streets toward our cars and discussed the musical and emotional merits of the concert, the brothers Kargas seemed pretty jazzed. I was a bit more subdued and contemplative. There was something lacking for me at that show. And had I been able to focus my thoughts a bit more during those initial moments after the show, perhaps I could have articulated my thoughts and feelings a bit better. As it was, I probably seemed a little tired, or just my somewhat quiet self.

The problem with that 1997 show for me should have been completely obvious right away. I was struggling too much in those immediate moments after the show though to reconcile the reality of that evening’s performance with the likelihood that The Jayhawks as I wanted them to be, would likely never exist again. I came to realize later that that evening was my very own February 3, 1959.

I thought about it more as I drove home that evening. Clearly what were missing were the rich harmonies, vocal contrast, and musical interplay that once existed between Louris and Olson. When I arrived home around midnight that evening, my wife (who had tried to wait up but was half asleep) groggily asked “how was the concert?” I wasn’t sure exactly how to describe the experience. After a slight hesitation to think how best to respond, I simply said “I don’t think I ever need to see The Jayhawks in concert again.” That pretty much summed it up.

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…fast forward 12 years.

I happened to see an ad somewhere that a second Gary Louris/Mark Olson show was being added for Sunday February 22 at the Varsity Theater. Second show?! I didn’t know about the first. Apparently the first one sold out unbelievably fast and more than a few fans were a little irked that they hadn’t been able to secure a ticket. Thus the second show. Lucky for me. But first I needed to get a ticket.

At 10:00 a.m., on the Friday tickets went on sale online, I was ready and waiting. Despite the fact that I was at work and scheduled to be in a meeting beginning at 10:00, I figured I could spend a few minutes securing a ticket. Little did I know that Ticketmaster would freeze up my computer and my chance was lost. I figure tickets sold out online in about ten, maybe15 minutes tops. I missed my chance. Obviously I got a ticket though. Otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this. I was forced to drive to the Loring Pasta Bar (adjacent to the Varsity Theater) after work that day to purchase my ticket. When I got to the Loring Paste Bar there were only six tickets left. I only needed one.

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On the night of the show, I met up with my friend Jeff. As we stood in line for the early show at the Varsity I felt fortunate to have purchased a hot chocolate at a local coffee shop. The early evening air was chilly. And I had decided to leave my coat in the car because I didn’t want to lug it into the theater. I had forgotten to wear a hat. Oh well. We were inside soon enough.

After getting IDs checked and a bracelet on our wrists (should we desire a libation or two), we took standing positions about ten yards straight out from the stage. Despite technically being an 18+ show, it was pretty much a 30+ show. There were a few college students in the room, and perhaps some additional 20-somethings, but the median age was probably around 40 with some that were obviously even older. I’m not a great estimator of crowd size, but I’d say the room held less than a thousand. There were some tables and chairs with couches and sofa seats along much of stage left. We didn’t get there early enough to grab a couch. I wouldn’t have wanted one anyway. The view was much better from where I was standing. Because it was an early show, there’d be no opening act. We didn’t wait too long until the music started.

The anticipation in the room was obvious. I for one attempted not to have unrealistic expectations. It was difficult.

When Gary Louris and Mark Olson first walked onstage, the crowd I believe thought for a moment that these were the roadies coming to tune guitars. That’s what I thought anyway. It had probably been a while since most in the room had seen either of them live. It was just the two of them on stage. It took a good thirty seconds to realize the show was actually starting.

Although there was a healthy excitement in the room, there was no thunderous applause. It was more polite and proper with an occasional high pitched, low volume whooooop. No one wanted to be the moron that made it impossible for others to hear every word spoken or sung from Gary’s or Mark’s mouth. When the music started everyone went silent.

Honestly, I didn’t actually recognize many of the new songs. I had only heard a song or two on the radio and samples of others at a record store. It didn’t matter though. They could have been singing Row Row Row Your Boat for all I cared. The harmonies were just as I had hoped. Louris hit the high notes. Perhaps not as effortlessly as he once had, but hit them none-the-less. And Mark’s gritty, growling voice filled the void created years ago when he had left.

Along with their new material, the duo mixed in some not oft heard oldies from their days at the 400 Bar and some classics such as Waiting for the Sun. There was a healthy dose of Tomorrow the Green Grass in the set list too, including Nothing Left to Borrow, and a show ending Blue. I knew all was right with the world about two-thirds of the way through the show when Gary and Mark began in on Over My Shoulder. In my opinion, the two cannot possibly sound better than this. I closed my eyes briefly and savored the moment.

At some point during the show they started in on one of their new songs called The Rose Society. I wondered for a brief moment whether they were covering Son Volt’s song Windfall. The opening riff is a dead ringer.

Neither talked much during the show. They almost seemed uncomfortable at times expressing themselves independent from their music. They were very appreciative of the crowd though. This was the last night of their tour and it was obviously a somewhat bittersweet, almost melancholy experience.

Throughout the show the crowd was relatively reserved. But there were no miscellaneous side conversations going on as often happens at other venues. All eyes were focused on the stage. During and between songs. Because of my height, my sight line for the entire show was perfect. Occasionally I took the opportunity to visually scan the crowd. I’d look around in front of me, then turn and scan behind me. The light from stage illuminated faces. Heads bobbed throughout the room in mellow rhythm. Everyone listened intently. It was as if everyone knew they were witnessing something truly special that wouldn’t last forever. The stars were aligned and everyone knew this was a special moment.