From Texas, Sarah Jarosz was the first one to perform. With her two accompanying musicians (Nathaniel Smith on cello along with fiddler Alex Hargreaves). Sarah Jarosz, all of twenty-two years old, is already a gifted musician, singer and songwriter. Her third album Build Me Up From Bones, is to be released September 24.
With a voice that sounds like you’d imagine an angel would sing, she played both a banjo and octave mandolin. This combined with the equally talented side musicians, made for some beautiful music. Though most of what she sang were her original compositions, she did sing an obscure Dylan song called Ring Them Bells. Judging by the overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from the crowd, Sarah Jarosz can only increase in popularity.
Following Sarah Jarosz was another Texan by the name of Hayes Carll. Hayes Carll was very entertaining, trading off between funny stories, a song, then another funny story, each as entertaining as the other. Highlights of his performance were his story of a drug dealer who collected exotic animals and kept a caged African lion that he would bring by his shows at a hole in the wall he used to play in back in his early days, and his final song, KMAG YOYO. The latter was performed in a way that sounded much like Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues and was actually a story about a soldier drugged out due to his injuries in Afghanistan and the hallucinations he endured as a result. This song was his most upbeat and electric song of the night. I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for the next time he comes to Seattle for I am now a hard core fan.
Next up was Shawn Mullins from Atlanta, GA. Accompanied by an electric bass guitar player, Tom Ryan(nicknamed the Panda), he started by stating that of all the times he’s been to Seattle it only rained once, but that Atlanta has seen torrents of rain this summer. He then sang a song about the rain and how everyone needs a little sunshine. His upbeat energy and engaging personality never waned even while singing the depressing parts of House of the Rising Sun (which he amusingly made light of).
The fourth performer and headliner was Todd Snider himself. He came out looking like a young Bob Dylan, unshaven, wearing a fedora, dark glasses and barefoot. Complete with harmonica and acoustic guitar, I almost felt like I’d wandered into a time machine. Accompanied by a drummer and lap steel player, the immediate difference between him and Dylan is that he can sing. He began his set with a song about legendary Northwest Hijacker D.B. Cooper before warning the audience that being a folk singer, he’d be sharing his opinions with everyone, but not because he felt he was right or to try and change anyone’s mind, but because they rhyme. He then went on to say that the war on drugs is being funded by alcohol and tobacco and not because they care about people being on drugs, but just ensure we’re on the right drugs. He then made reference to Washington recently legalizing marijuana, which brought up raucous cheers from this almost all white audience ages thirty and up (aside from the children attending). He talked of the churches being more afraid of gays marrying than anything else and lit into a cover of Dylan’s The Times They Are A Changing.
Todd Snider also told entertaining stories and was full of entertaining quips like karaoke depleting the ozone layer, which brought many laughs from the crowd. He then told a long story of growing up in Beaverton, Oregon and being on the high school football team, bowing to pressure from his dad. He played football through his junior year until he discovered the other crowd and became a pot smoking, peace loving hippie. He explained there are two factions in this country. There’s the side that’s white, greedy and gay fearing and the people like him who are pot smoking, peace loving, lazy ass hippies. He finished his set with his song, Conservative Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males.
Conservative Christian, right-wing Republican
Straight white American males
Gay-bashing, black-fearing
War-fighting, tree-killing
Regional leaders of sales
Frat-housing, keg-tapping
Shirt-tucking, back-slapping
Haters of hippies like me
Tree-hugging, peace-loving
Pot-smoking, porn-watching
Lazy-ass hippies like me
This finale had several up against the stage dancing and singing along. He left the stage to raucous cheers and applause before coming out for an encore where he played Neil Young’s, Hey Hey, My My.
This ended my three-night run of going to shows and what a way to end it! Gypsy punk, ska, then folk music. I love the variety of music one finds playing in Seattle on any given night. All four acts were outstanding and I will be seeking out music by all the artists posthaste.
