Western Fifth CD Release Party with Kid Dakota at Uptown Bar and Café on 11/21/08
By: David de Young
 |
| Ryan Holweger of Western Fifth - Photo by Jenn Barnett |
The songs on the new CD (their second release) remind me of the lonely gray house on a hill that appears on the album’s back cover: dark, brooding, yet curiously welcoming. You just want to walk up that hill and go inside.
The band’s set list was ordered much like their CD, opening with the first track (“We’ve Got The Rain”) and closing with the final track (“I Am Not Cold Anymore”). There were some change-ups in the middle because they had no keyboard ; the keyboard’s power cable had sadly gone missing before Friday night's show.
Where Drive-by Truckers were known for their “three axe attack,” Western Fifth may someday be remembered for their three beard one, singer Ryan Holweger’s being the most broad the three bearded members. They sometimes reminded me of a super slow Big Ditch Road in BDR’s early days, at other times, of an equally lethargic, down-tempo The Ashtray Hearts.
We arrived late during their fourth song, “Hello, Goodnight,” but I can confidently report that the moroseness and beautiful dirge-like quality of Stand Like A Thief’s material remains intact in their live performance. (I did miss the occasional trumpet, however.) Live, the band puts their whole weight behind the chords and punches into them with even more emotional force than they do in the studio. There are many, many points in the music where a lethargic phrase all of a sudden takes a breath and then slams into you with what can only be called full-on lethargy, akin to being broadsided by a bus.
 |
| Dave Boquist - Photo by Barnett |
During the next song a drunk patron made as if he was going to climb onto the stage, only to be pulled back by a member of opening band, The Evening Rig. One of the problems with drunk guys is they are not so easily deterred, and he soon moved climbed the stairs stage left to stand next to Dave Boquist and play “air fiddle.” Boquist, stoic pro that he is, just totally ignored the guy. (Still, no matter how many times I see this sort of behavior at shows it never grows any less tiresome.)
Without their keyboard, the band changed up a few songs in their set list as I mentioned, and next up was a countrified cover of “Dead Flowers” by the Stones. Holweger tossed a tambourine into the audience to encourage crowd participation, Boquist moved to Guitar, and the song was a bouncy success despite the band’s claim they’d only rehearsed it once. (And speaking of the Stones and Boquist, a concert-goer behind me joked during the next song, “Is that Keith Richards on the violin?” Huh?)
Western Fifth’s “I Will Keep You Warm” morphed into a classic rock song with the pedal steel player Thomas Case switching spots with guitar player Ryan Jacobsen to play a guitar solo reminiscent (almost) of something off the first Boston album. The band closed with “I Am Not Cold Anymore” which is a bit of a reprise of the album’s opening song, “We’ve got the Rain.” It ends with the poetic refrain, “The pain will soon be there for the rain to wash away. Then we die...” John Wurm’s drums drop out, the fiddle builds, and the song ends with just fiddle, bass drum and John Christenson’s light bass. I am so glad I made it out for this show.
- We’ve Got The Rain
- In the End I Went Away
- Smiles of Gold
- “Kill”
- Hello, Good Night
- Wait Until Dark (A Good Time To Shine)
- “Bleed”
- Revolving Door Blues
- I Will Keep You Warm
- I Am Not Cold Anymore
Before leaving the Uptown, I was also able to catch the first three songs from the new lineup of Kid Dakota. Joining Darren Jackson Friday were the amazing Al Weiers (Faux Jean) on lead guitar, Peter Leggett (Heiruspecs) on drums and Brian Roessler (Fantastic Merlins) on bass. Those familiar with the Twin Cities music scene will realize what an all-star lineup that is, and the sound the four musicians produced matched accordingly. Kid Dakota opened with “New York System,” “Stars” and “Transfusion” from their latest disc A Winner’s Shadow. One of the most important things to nail in these songs is the dynamics, and this well-versed 4 piece did it, though I admit my favorite Kid Dakota line-up is when Darren plays with just a drummer – not that Weiers and Roessler did not add to the sound. (Like the “Beatles or Stones?” question, I believe “Kid Dakota as 2 piece, 3 piece or 4 piece?” is another question by which you can classify Twin Cities music fans.) I won’t say more here as we’ve reviewed Kid Dakota many, many times and a complete review of the CD Release Party in March is here.
Location Info:
Uptown Bar and Café
Artist Info: Kid Dakota, Western Fifth
Share this story:
Article comments powered by Disqus