Show Review

Two bands that appear to be in their musical prime got together for a few west coast dates recently and I had the opportunity to catch their show at the McDonald Theatre in downtown Eugene, a beautiful 77-year old building owned and operated by the late Ken Kesey’s family.

The night’s opening act, Railroad Earth, played about an hour’s worth of inspired jamgrass as the theatre filled slowly throughout the set; so slowly in fact that the collective silence in between the first few songs awkwardly inspired a member of the band to remind us that “it’s not the library.” It might as well have been the campus library though as the band taught us a stern lesson in musical communication. These six guys listen to each other as well as any band you’re likely to see, and it shows clearly in their focused improvisation. The thirteen plus minute “Seven Story Mountain” was easily the highlight of the group’s short set displaying that chemistry that only happens when all ears are open and all souls are selfless.

During the break between Railroad Earth’s opening slot and moe.’s first set, many in attendance stepped out into the refreshing Oregon rain to cool off while others filled up the downstairs lounge tossing back select libations. Eventually those thirstiest to shake their bones swiftly filled up prime real estate on the dance floor in anticipation of moe.’s first trip to the college town in over four years (which the band later apologized for to the forgiving crowd).

The band opened with a solid, if not memorable, rendition of “Stranger Than Fiction.” In fact, the first set as a whole never seemed to take off into the clouds as some moe. sets undoubtedly tend to do. Instead, the band seemed content to begin this thing steady and save the inevitable mind blowing for set two. The set closing “Hi and Lo” > “Don't Fuck With Flo” > “Big World” medley did manage to plant the seed of things to come though.

The second set contained the night’s first atmospheric trek within the confines of a relatively new, possibly still-unnamed tune (the name “Blue Jeans and Pizza” has been reported, but as far as I know, unofficially) by bassist, Rob Derhak. The ultra funky grooves dropped on this one give it the makings of a live staple and possible fan favorite once these veterans of Jam from the Big Apple discover the true potential of it.

For me, the show started with the twenty-four plus minute “Timmy Tucker” about half way through the second set which boasted some eye opening interplay between the two guitarists, Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier. This gave way to another marathon song, “Yodelittle.” Things were getting hot. “Buster” came next, the nineteen minute journey stretched across intense, orchestrated landscapes, before it eventually was ripped completely open into a chaotic storm of momentous jamming featuring fiery drumming by the two headed percussion machine of Jim Loughlin and Vinnie Amico, who brought the song and the set to a raging close.

The boys from Railroad Earth appeared with moe. for the encore, a tasteful cover of The Band’s timeless classic, “The Weight” with Railroad Earth’s Todd Scheaffer most successfully harnessing the tune’s original spirit as he took the “wait a minute Chester, you know I’m a peaceful man” verse and made the words seem new.

No, this probably won’t be considered by either band as one of their best shows; the stage was still standing at the end of the night and the roof, as far as I know, remained securely fastened to the top of the old theatre by show’s end. However there were moments of magic and it seemed a genuinely good time was had by all that night. For Railroad Earth, the sky is the limit, they have only been together for less than four years after all and they already show the signs of a battle tested, cohesive bluegrass outfit. And moe., I’m sure there are countless residents of Eugene crossing their fingers tightly in hopes that it’s not another four years until the quintet makes it back to town.

As for me, I found myself staring down the barrel of a 110 mile trip up I-5 back to Portland as the show’s highlights managed to replay themselves the entire drive back as it became dangerously easy to accept the headlights of oncoming traffic as merely part of the light show accompanying the music in my head.