Review: Golden Smog - 7/27/02 - 400 Bar - Mpls, MN

Sometimes it is possible to go back in time...

Only the second Golden Smog show in the last 3-1/2 years, this was a "semi-stealth" gig, ostensibly a birthday party for Eva Mosey, a longtime scenester here in Mpls and a familiar face at many local gigs dating back some 20 years. Tweedy wasn't in the line-up although, interestingly, Wilco will be playing here on Tuesday. Who knows what might have happened if the Wilco tour schedule was slightly different. Tweedy's spirit was evoked during the encore when they did Roger Miller's "Dang Me" which was sung by Jeff in 95/96. The drumming was handled more than capably by the newest Golden Smogger, Peter Anderson, currently of Iffy and Kraig Johnson's The Program, and formerly of Polara. Peter is a _great_ drummer - suffice it to say he is a proud addition to the stellar line-up of Golden Smog drummers that has included the likes of Chris Mars, Noah Levy, Dave Pirner and Jody "Fucking" Stevens.

No keyboards were set-up and there was a minimum of instrument swapping. Marc Perlman and Kraig Johnson switched between bass and guitar a few times, but that was about it. There was an extremely rare Perlman lead vocal showcase when he stepped up to the mic with only a tambourine and belted out a cool, sexy "Love is the Drug." Standing right at the front of the stage it was funny to see all the girls swooning when Mr. Cool started shaking his moneymaker!

The setlist was nearly all covers, but still near-perfection IMO. Imagine one of those thrilling early 1996 Smog shows - minus the Tweedy contributions of course - and you'll have some idea of the vibe. It was like hopping in a time capsule and reliving a great tour that you thought was gone forever. The reliance on covers - including a number of ancient GS chestnuts - even evoked hazy but fond memories of those legendary pre-Tweedy Golden Smog shows when they really were a boozy, ad hoc side project, not a "real" band. Hell, 4 of the 5 songs from friggin' _On Golden Smog_ were played, which by itself almost guarantees that you're in for a memorable night.

Each main songwriter did one original song, otherwise it was jukebox flashback time. Highlights included an achingly beautiful "Backstreet Girl" (cue: much more female swooning) and a blistering reading of T. Rex's "Buick MacKane," one of my all-time fave GS covers. A potent "Signed D.C." was especially nice to hear given that we've got an Arthur Lee / Love show coming up next week. Guest star / honorary Smogger Jim Boquist, looking lean and dapper in his Merle Haggard t-shirt, did the vocal honors on a nice version of "Almost Cut My Hair," which was followed by a stomping "Revolution Blues," completing a memorable CSNY / NY 1-2 punch. "Johnny Riverside" (aka Bill Sullivan, 400 Bar owner / honorary Smogger) ripped thru "Cowboy Song," which ended with a very authentic Thin Lizzy-style twin guitar rave-up featuring Gary and Danny.
Photo-op of the night: for the encore Kraigy came out with a white t-shirt that said (front) "Who the fuck is Gary Louris?" and (back) "Really...who the fuck is Gary Louris?"

The crowd was surprisingly modest considering the momentous occasion (and $5 cover). I guess this show was further off the radar screen than I thought.

It all went down something like this:
Easy To Be Hard
Son
Glad and Sorry
Signed D.C.
Guitar Man
Ill Fated
Fooled Around and Fell in Love
Looking Forward to Seeing You
Photograph
Backstreet Girl
Love is the Drug (Marc Perlman - lead vocals)
You're So Vain
I Don't Care
Cowboy Song (Bill Sullivan - lead vocals)
Buick MacKane
Almost Cut My Hair (Jim Boquist - lead vocals)
Revolution Blues
ENCORE
Spooky
Until You Came Along
Dang Me