By: Bob Longmore
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Stook! - Photo by David de Young
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There’s always a lot of talk about the Twin Cities music scene. Is it as good as it was in the ‘80s? The ‘90s? Is the scene better than ever?
These are all impossible questions to answer because the truth is, most of the time, the scene is just an imagined scenario of success and notoriety. Having said all that, the closest I have ever felt to the scene happened at the dual CD release show of Stook and Dan Israel. I saw so many hugs between friends old and new, so many dancing couples and so many smiling faces. (Not to mention, so many yellow Stook! tuques)
Introduced by HowWasTheShow.com’s grand poobah, David de Young, Stook and The Jukes began with the rollicking sing-along, “Diggin’ on You,” from the new album, When the Needle Hit the Wax (Draw Fire Records). The everyman vibe that people have fallen in love with came through elegantly as Stook smiled as he sang. “Hey, Hey / Baby, Baby / Don’t you know you drive me crazy?”
I’ve seen Stook play solo so much, including numerous appearance at the Mad Ripple Hootenanny, that seeing him with a live band seems like a departure. But the full band allowed Stook to show that he can rock with the best of them. I think it is a testament to the solid songwriting of Stook that his songs can sound soulful in a stripped down setting as well as in full on rock band.
As the set went on, the accessibility of Stook’s music put everybody at ease. Gone was the standoffish pretense of the normal rock show crowd. Instead, those smiles and hugs flowed throughout the floor, and right in the middle of it all was a whirling dervish of a Stook supporter, the hootenanny ringleader and local music icon, Jim Walsh.
The Varsity was a great venue to experience all the musicians. The smoke and lights and general vibe of that venue added even more mystique and mood to songs like Stook’s “Season Affective Disorder,” which is a slow burning, brooding song, but by the end the hopeful guitars start ringing and the bright lights turn up and Stook’s infectious smile returned. On the song “Hennepin Avenue,” Stook’s whiskey and cigarettes voice was displayed at its most effective. The song seems like a tribute to his adopted hometown, and his raspy yelp seemed to capture the grit of that avenue perfectly.
Although most of the songs were off the new record, there were a few exceptions. The notable highlight being the hootenanny staple, “A Song is More Than Just a Song;” during which, Jim Walsh bum rushed the stage and jumped on Stook’s back while the singer tried to maintain composure. Meanwhile, the crowd was singing along, “There are those of us who’ve known it all along / a song is more than just a song.”
While Stook presented the songs from his new album with raucous abandon, Dan Israel showcased his new songs with earnestness and reserved charm.
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| Dan Israel - Photo by David de Young |
Beginning with the spare, “Triangle,” joined only by Dave Boquist on violin, Israel played straight through his new album, Turning (Eclectone). “Triangle” sets the tone for the dark, yet hopeful album with the opening lines, “Maybe we can survive/ more than just stay alive/ It ain’t so impossible.” The records seems like an introspective and honest work by a stalwart of Minnesota music. Helping Israel on the album, and throughout the night was a revolving cast of talented players. Jenny Russ lent warm underpinnings to Israels deep voice. Marc Perlman, Joanna James, Molly Maher and Dave Boquist were only some of the luminaries jumping to and from different instruments to round out the sound of Israel and his usual cohorts, The Cultivators (Kris Bowring and Dave Russ).
After the song, “Hurt and Love,” Israel thanked Perlman for playing bass on the song, and then he stopped himself and said aloud in amazement, “I’m pretty sure that just happened!”
Israel and his band always deliver an exciting and passionate live show, and even with the players swapping in and out, the excitement never waned. From the intimate, “See You Grow,” to the call to action, “Song for Africa,” the continuity was there, the additional musicians just added to the sound without detracting anything. On the aforementioned “Song for Africa,” Andra Suchy absolutely slayed the audience with her strong, beautiful voice, while Molly Maher added an eerie slide dobro part, giving the song a dusty, desolate feel.
But the culmination of all the different pieces came together on Israel’s last song, a cover of the Stones’ “Gimme’ Shelter.” Everyone who’d joined Israel and a few who hadn’t got on stage to sing or play guitar on this excellent version of this classic song. This maelstrom of rock proved to be a fitting climax to the night of celebration.
Location Info:
The Varsity Theater
Artist Info: Dan Israel, Stook
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