Gillian Welch & David Rawlings 8/08/2004

Gillian Welch is somewhat of a mystery. A Los Angeles native, Welch doesn’t play to type; trying to categorize her is a waste of time. She is often photographed for her album covers in old-fashioned dresses, usually looking away from the camera, appearing shy and uncomfortable. She’s not the typical gal you would see walking down a street in L.A.—rather, she appears homespun, pale, and probably detests smog with a passion. Her latest album, Soul Journey, is filled with so much quiet and raw emotion that it requires your full, undisturbed attention and repeat listens. This might seem like a tough task for some us who struggle to understand who Gillian Welch really is.

Well, I’ve got good news: the truth is out there, and there is no need for any swift boat veterans to help you out. Here’s the plan—put your Welch albums on pause, take out your credit card, and go buy a ticket to see her and guitarist David Rawlings live. If you do as I suggest, you’ll be likely to find out what a thousand people did on a Wednesday night at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis—there is nothing puzzling about Gillian Welch, there is only full-grown subtle beauty.

Opening her stellar performance with “I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll,” a number from her most innovative album, Time (The Revelator), Welch seemed cool and collected as she smiled across the smoky venue that was filled with a nice mix of young and old fans who stood and sat in ecstatic awe. Her partner-in-crime, the multi-talented Rawlings, also delivered from the beginning as he blazed through “Rock of Ages,” taking the lead from Welch. It only took a few songs to realize that there was nothing Welch was unsure about—that everything seemingly came natural to her onstage in front of her friends. “It feels like a weekend tonight,” Welch exclaimed, noting the crowd’s energy that picked up after every tune.

She continued to treat the packed house with numbers like “Annabelle” and “My First Lover,” two songs that showed off her voice and storytelling talents. Often singled out for her unique voice, Welch’s lyrics should also not go unnoticed, as they are one of the strongest parts of her repertoire. During “Look at Miss Ohio,” you could hear many in the room singing along, cherishing her words about “wanting to do right, but not right now.” It was surprisingly only one of the few tunes played off of Soul Journey, but no one seemed to mind, as Welch and Rawlings devoted more time to older material such as “Caleb Meyer” and “Elvis Presley Blues.” Perhaps the highlight of the evening was during “Revelator,” when Rawlings fired up the crowd with his delicate fingerpicking solo that proved to be more powerful than any rock anthem heard on the radio.

Cooling off after his solo, Rawlings led Welch into “I’ll Fly Away,” one of their contributions featured on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. The crowd favorite left a major buzz throughout the room as Welch and Rawlings were soon joined onstage by opening act Old Crow Medicine Show for a soulful version of The Band’s “The Weight.” And as Welch carried the load, it was clear that she had found a home—no more an orphan girl.