I knew nothing about the Alabama Theater when I arrived and would never have learned the small pieces of trivia I now know had everything gone smoothly. I read about its construction in 1927 and near demolition in the '80s because I was standing on the outside, looking in to see if I was going to get a ticket or not. The theater is now a protected landmark and it really is wonderful.
It would sound pretentious to declare, "This is what a rock show should be." So, I won't. I will instead say it is what a rock show can be. There are a few dickless killjoys out there who will try to convince you that you cannot have fun at a show with serious music and if the music is not serious, it sucks. Scan the radio and it is easy to understand how these snobs came to this boneheaded conclusion. Guster is antidote for that kind of thinking. This is a band that can write songs about something or nothing and deliver it without being oppressively bleak in sound or outlook. The sincerity and quick wit of frontman Ryan Miller is part of the fun of a Guster show – and make no mistake, fun is a crucial ingredient of their concert experience.
The highlight of the evening was "Ruby Falls." It is the best song on their new album, Ganging Up on the Sun. The performance was stellar up to Adam's "adventurous" trumpet solo (Miller's words, not mine) at the end of the song. The trumpet solo was not bad and it seemed obvious Adam was more interested in having fun with it than faithfully recreating the jazziness of the part as heard on the album. The spontaneous eruption of applause (started by a very objective member of the new media) after one of the many moving passages during the song suggests others in the audience were impressed as well. The songs from GUOTS (eight of them were played and, somehow, first single "One Man Wrecking Machine" was not one of them) sounded best, notably "Satellite" and the aforementioned "Ruby Falls."
Some Guster purists will likely hate my other highlight of the show. The new, full-band arrangement of "Airport Song" blows away the version on the album. It is almost a different song than the version that first appeared on Goldfly. The song has been extended, the arrangement expanded. The psychedelic freakout caused the guy sitting next to me to ask if he was having a flashback.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
you are now one of those kids i saw in the Guster On Ice video who had given themselves up to the music in the moment.
pretty cool stuff.
2 - Mat Brewster
Confessions of a Guster Fanboy <--new title for your recurring thingy
very cool stuff Sir DJ. I guess I really have to go out and listen to me some Guster so you'll shut up about them already. Your're getting to be as bad as Saleski and freaking Metheny.
Ok, enough smirkiness. This was a darn fine review. One of your best.
3 - Aaron Fleming
I too must track down some Guster, see what the big fuss is all about.
Oh and who is this Murphy guy? It's not the guy from the class action suit advert in the BC sponsors righthand column is it?
And great review BTW.
4 - Mary K. Williams
I'm guessing Murphy, as in Murphy's Law
Very good work Sir DJ.
5 - DJRadiohead
The Wife to Whom I'm Married had never heard of Murphy's Law. Here I was thinking I was being obvious. That's what happens when I try and go literary. I better stick with flinging the fucks.
Thanks, Mondoites, for checking out the review.
6 - Mark Saleski
never heard of murphy's law?! ...and she's married to YOU?!
7 - DJRadiohead
What can I say? I am a living embodiment of the concept "Married Out of My League."
8 - Aaron Fleming
Ah, THAT Murphy, silly me! I guess I'm just used to the Duke's use of manic characters to colour his writings, so much so that such an allegorical usage swept over my head. Nah, keep it up, it's good, I'll be more keen eyed next time, I promise!
And I also wanted to make reference to the class action suit guy, he cracks me up.
9 - DJRadiohead
Sir Fleming, never let literalness get in the way of a great one liner- that's my advice. And you're right, the class action guy is great for a laugh.
You're right... The Duke's characters are fantastic pieces of his writing. I haven't the manic talents to summon them in my own writing. The cursing, on the other hand, has been a lifelong pursuit of mine.
10 - Tom Johnson
Crap. I just made the mistake of clicking over to Amazon and listening to clips. After reading all these pieces by you and Mark for a while, I still had yet to hear a single note by these guys, and the moment I heard the first song, I knew I'd like 'em. Dammit. Off to Best Buy today, I suppose . . .
11 - DJRadiohead
You won't be sorry, Tom. Ganging Up on the Sun and Keep it Together should be in your possession this very day.
12 - Brian
Hey man, I met you at "will call" when they couldnt find our tickets, and then talked to you between sets. Your review is incredible, it descibes the mood and everything of the show perfectly. Ill have to check back here in a few months, good luck with the tom petty thing, cyaa
13 - DJRadiohead
Brian, it was very cool meeting you. Thanks for checking out the review- I'm very glad you liked it. Thanks for that.
Petty looks "on" so far, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Stop back any time.