Postcards From Page Side: My Morning Jacket VH1 Storytellers

However, the stories eventually became much more powerful and moving. The most poignant story of the evening was about their mega-hit Dondante, and how James wrote it about a childhood friend that he grew up with in Louisville, KY who had passed away much too soon. James was visibly emotional and began crying genuine tears about his lost friend, and even mentioned that his friend gave him his first guitar and dreamed of being on a program like Storytellers when they grew up. Before starting the song, James simply added that his friend “is with them” in each performance. I for one, hope this makes it on to the airing of the program, as it shows the real-life human aspect of James and MMJ.

Besides the stories, I also was in awe of the songwriting chops of MMJ. Yes, I have seen them a bunch before, but usually under a wall of sound at a huge, rocking affair. This was different and certainly the night I will look back upon as having gotten the full picture about MMJ and I feel they deserve the praise the have been receiving. They are truly a hell of a songwriting band that also likes to rock – HARD!

Songs like Circuital and Movin’ Away, which had to be repeated at the end of the performance due to an audio issue, were truly mesmerizing, as the audience hung on each word that James sung from under his cape-like attire and vintage-brown pants, as he shuffled along in time, with his back from the audience.

As the taping went on, the band and audience both seemed to get more comfortable, and everyone and everything seemed to loosen up. James’ stories seemed to become more concise and drive home the point, even becoming more comical as night went on, eventually ending with my two favorites of the night, for different reasons.

Before Smokin’ From Shootin’, James explained that the song was about the imagery of a person carrying around their loaded guns and firing at seemingly everything that seemed to be a worry or looming issue in their way, only to finally arrive at a true problem and have no ammo left, just the smokin’ guns. As a big fan of metaphors and imagery, this one stuck with me, and I’m sure will for some time to come. Makes you think, ya know? I also like how he openly admitted during performances he despised talking and tried to hide behind a wash or wave of sound. Anyone who was at this taping can tell he was not kidding. James is an intelligent man who certainly lives in a world of his own, and I mean that in the most endearing way possible.

To close things out, James became all serious and said he wanted to recite a line that inspired MMJ to become a band, before reading some party-filled lyrics from the Beastie Boys’ No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn. James admitted that the title of the Beasties’s song sounded like the way he wanted to live before saying, “The Beastie Boys lied!” and “It’s hard work on the road!” as the band blasted into the now-known-to-be-inspired-by-the-Beastie-Boys-tune, One Big Holiday. OBH is everything MMJ represents: primal, rocking, super-loud and free-wheeling with huge guitar licks and big crescendos of noise. In other words, a perfect way to close out the one of the most intimate performances of their career.

MMJ’s VH1 Storytellers airs on June 3rd. Be sure to look for my ugly mug in the front row.

VH1 Storytellers Setlist:

Set: Wordless Chorus, The Way That He Sings, Golden, Circuital, Movin Away, Dondante, Gideon, Smokin’ From Shootin’, Movin Away, Wonderful (The Way I Feel), Lullabys, Legends & Lies (by Shel Silverstein), One Big Holiday

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5 Responses

  1. You are a very lucky man. I love that they did the Shel Silverstein tune. Can’t wait to see this and hope it’s aired in its entirety.

  2. ““On line”? You mean “in line”, right?”

    This!

    But seriously, I’m jealous. Thanks for the report.

  3. “on line” is a New York thing. It started at Ellis Island, where immigrants literally stood on a line drawn on the ground while waiting to get processed. The idiom continues today. Or at least that’s what a grammar-related website told me.

    I use “on line” and will now use it a badge to honor my ancestors!

  4. I absolutely love this show–it’s what got me into MMJ in the first place (I know, I came to the party late). Thanks for the inside info about that night–I’m incredibly jealous you were able to attend in person. Jim’s charisma and earnestness in this show is off the charts.

    Can’t wait for the new album in 2014!

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