Silver Jews – Ann Arbor 3/25

Setlist:

Pet Politics
Getting Back Into Getting Back Into You
Slow Education
Animal Shapes
The Poor, the Fair, and the Good
Horseleg Swastikas
Trains Across the Sea
Inside the Golden Days of Missing You
Random Rules
How Can I Love You if You Won't Lie Down?
Dallas
Sleeping is the Only Love
Smith and Jones Forever
There is a Place
Black and Brown Blues
Punks in the Beerlight
Buckingham Rabbit
Sometimes a Pony Gets Depressed

I can safely say that this was my favorite concert ever. Not the best, to be sure, but my favorite. In the weeks leading up to the tour, I was deeply concerned that even if the tour got off the ground without some sort of David Berman meltdown, the band was going to sound unrehearsed and sloppy. The tapes of the first two shows alleviated some of those fears – they actually sounded pretty solid. But the difference between the band that people in Athens and Atlanta saw and the band I saw last night is just huge. They sounded great. And it seems like DCB is getting more and more comfortable with playing shows. I love how he surrounded himself with his wife Cassie and old friends Bob Nostanovich and Steve West from Pavement. The whole concept of this tour is uplifiting. He's coming off some of the darkest years of his life, battling hard drugs and suicide, pulls himself out of it, records a great album, and hits the road with his loved ones to try to get his life back on track. It was really special to be a part of that, and the mood of the crowd reflected that. Nearly everyone was a devoted fan and knew every song. I got to the Blind Pig around 9, 30 minutes before doors opened, and there were easily over a hundred people already waiting in line.

The energy in the room leading up to the show was palpable, and after two solid opening songs, it just exploded during "Slow Education", which was the highlight of the show for me. It's a great song in any context, but the band just fucking nailed it last night, slide guitar and all. And given that "uplifting" atmosphere I was talking about, to have them play one of their most uplifting and reassuring songs early on was amazing. I'm pleased that they've been playing "Animal Shapes" lately, too. I think it's one of the strongest songs on Tanglewood Numbers. "Smith and Jones Forever" lived up to all of its potential to be a singalong anthem. "Black and Brown Blues", which is quickly becoming one of my favorite songs, was good to hear, even if DCB strangely chose to mumble incoherently rather than sing the last verse.

Only complaint: no "Rebel Jew", despite my screaming for it. I know they haven't been playing it, but a guy can hope, right?

After the show, we hit the merchandise table where I was faced with the choice of a small or XL red shirt, as opposed to the pink medium I wanted. I went with the small, which may have been a mistake, but such is life. The venue booted us after a few minutes of hanging around waiting to meet DCB. We moved outside, and after a while, Bob Nostanovich came out and started to talk to us. It was pretty amazing to talk about Pavement with him. Of note, he absolutely guaranteed that Pavement would be back together in 2-3 years. I guess Malk just had a kid and is about to get married and wants to take some time off. He also said that the Joos are going to keep touring indefinitely. There was a guy from Toronto talking with us and Bob assured him that there will be a Toronto show in a few months. He even asked the guy what venue they should play; he suggested the Horseshoe Tavern. We also learned that there will be occasional shows with Malkmus in the future, but that he will never join the tour. "It's like battle of the biggest egos when Malkmus and David are in the same room". Then he got distracted and started talking about the Kentucky Derby…

Finally, after about an hour, DCB came out. He was actually trying to figure out what the fuck Bob was doing, and luckily there were only a few diehard fans to accost him. I managed to get a picture with him.

Lofty expectations: fulfilled.