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Apples in Stereo The
Holmes Brothers |
Joe Ely w/Joel Guzman
An odd mix of people filled the club just short of capacity, the majority being over fifty at least. We were resigned to standing and some jerk sitting on a bar stool kept yelling “Down in front!” to my buddy who happed to end up standing not more than five feet in front of him. I tried to explain that a seat at the bar doesn’t guarantee an obstruction-free view but he’d have none of it. Ely and Guzman both beamed from the stage as they went into a number of classics from Joe’s catalogue as well as few of his newer hits. They started the night off with “Billy The Kid” and followed with “Dallas,” “Musta Notta Gotta Lotta,” and a great “95 South.” Ely went into a story about the last time that he was in Pittsburgh he went by some drive-thru chicken place (Quick-It Chicken?) and overheard a strange exchange. This somehow segued into “Nacho Mama” a song that he admits isn’t one of his best but had a similar origin at a food stand and was a real crowd pleaser. Keeping with the Pittsburgh theme Ely played what appeared to be a traditional song about the Monongahela. I think it was about someone named Monongahela Sally and was pretty funny. Ely said it was only the second time he played it (the other being the last time he was here) and wasn’t sure where he heard it. No one in the audience had heard of it either. He did say it was the only song with Monongahela in it he had ever heard but I’m sure he was forgetting “Homestead Steel” by his friend Tom Russell who actually graced the same stage a week earlier and who’s “Gallo del Cielo” he and Guzman so wonderfully played to a delighted audience. We were also treated to back-to-back songs “She Never Spoke Spanish To Me” and “She Finally Spoke Spanish To Me.” A whole relationship in only two songs! It really was a wonderful show and the consensus afterward was this blew the pants off his last appearance. Other favorites played included; “All Just To Get To You,” “Letter To Laredo” and “If You Were a Bluebird” by his friend and fellow Flatlander Butch Hancock. In attendance was Pittsburgh rock stalwart Joe Grushecky but he unfortunately didn’t join Ely up on stage as he did years ago at a Graffiti show. The second show was going to be a HighTone Records showcase featuring a number of bands from Springfield, Missouri, Wifey’s home state. We were informed that the $10 cover would be waived (thanks Jon!) so we headed over to Barry’s to lube up a bit. Back at the Café, Brian Capps was onstage, backed by The Morells. I had never heard of this guy before but he was an engaging performer and his vocals had a honky-tonk edge. The Morells have a long history of backing up numerous singers and were known as The Skeletons at one time. They were a bunch of older guys and their performance was adequate at best. After a short break The Bel Airs took the stage. These guys were new to me also and a few songs into their set Wifey and I realized we were in the presence of greatness as this threesome was rocking with wild abandon. Described on the HighTone website as playing an “eclectic mix of rockin' blues and classic soul,” they didn’t let the smallish crowd hinder the big sound that they were capable of producing after nearly 25 years of playing together. A great band and one of those finds that really make it all worthwhile in the end. |
