By: Andrea Myers
Tim O’Reagan played to a surprisingly small smattering of fans Friday at a special in-store performance at the Electric Fetus. O’Reagan was tricked into starting a bit early by Fetus “soundman” Dave Campbell, who coaxed him into playing a full-band sound check to the appreciative audience despite O’Reagan’s obvious desire to postpone his performance as long as possible.
Though O’Reagan is no stranger to the stage, the show at the Fetus marked his first official Minneapolis debut as a frontman. Previously a member of hometown heroes The Jayhawks and early-90s cult favorites The Leatherwoods, O’Reagan used to be what he refers to as, “a working stiff drummer,” mostly playing other people’s songs and doing very little creative work of his own. Over the years, however, O’Reagan compiled a collection of his own unreleased tunes, and he finally got the chance to release 11 of them last week on his eponymous debut record.
The awkwardness that accompanies a major shift in stage presence was evident at the Fetus, though O’Reagan seems to be adapting well. He often glanced nervously toward guitarist Jim Boquist (Son Volt), and Boquist would smile knowingly back at O’Reagan as if encouraging him to persevere. O’Reagan snuck several covers into his set and even had Boquist play a tune of his own, which reflected the overall sense of insecurity that accompanied his performance. At one point he started strumming the intro to the wrong tune, smiled shyly at the audience and quietly joked, “You’ll have to forgive me, I’m new.”
Despite his nerves, however, O’Reagan’s talent at both singing and songwriting shimmered through his discomfort. An especially endearing performance of “Tampa to Tulsa,” an O’Reagan-penned tune that appeared on The Jayhawks’ final album, Rainy Day Music, hushed the reverent crowd and earned the band a hearty round of applause. Bassist Frankie Lee picked up a harmonica and crooned delicate harmonies to make the soft moments even sweeter, and drummer Peter Anderson (Honeydogs, Polara, Willie Wisley) got things rocking during the more upbeat numbers. Other highlights included treats from the new album, including “Highway Flowers” and “Anybody’s Only,” and a great Everly Brothers cover that lent itself well to a winding, curving electric guitar solo by Boquist.
Overall it was a joy to see O’Reagan perform live, as his lofty vocals and signature retro chord changes are an absolute delight. It will be interesting to watch him develop in the coming months, as O’Reagan begins touring to support his new release. But with his powerhouse backing band, songwriting prowess, and mesmerizing vocals, something tells me he’s going to do just fine.
Photo by Andrea Myers.
Location Info:
Electric Fetus
Artist Info: Tim O'Reagan
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