SOUNDTRACK: STRAND OF OAKS-NonCOMM (May 15, 2019).
I’ve seen Strand of Oaks three times, although only once as a full band. Usually I see Tim Showalter’s Winter Spectacles–intimate shows with just him and a partner. I forget how big the can sound with a full band.
“Weird Ways” opens the set. I love the moment about two minutes in when the second guitar kicks in. It seems like the song is going to be one thing but that second guitar changes the texture of the song up until the end. The end is a catchy coda–synth waves, a big crescendo drums and a sing along “That’s a weird way to say goodbye.”
As Showalter introduced the band’s biggest hit, “Goshen ’97,” he recalled one of his favorite moments from the last decade. “I guess this is the first song of mine I ever heard on the radio, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I’ll never forget it. So if you know it, help us sing it.” The song describes Showalter’s memories of beginning to make music as a teenager in his hometown of Goshen, Indiana. “I was lonely but I was having fun!” he cried out during every pre-chorus.
I like mid-song when he says “gimme some shred!” and whoever is on guitar totally rocks out.
Up next is the new single “Ruby.” I love the way he exaggeratedly slows down the chorus–it’s very effective.
Strand of Oaks stretched out many of their selections to make room for jamming and imagining, even though they were only scheduled to play a thirty-minute set. As usual, they made sure to enjoy every moment on stage to the fullest — they never rush. “If you know anything about this band, a half an hour is pretty tough for us to do,” Showalter admitted after fading out the end of “Ruby.” “That’s usually about one song,” he chuckled.
He dedicated “Keys,” to his wife, Sue. “It’s easy to let your life slip away,” he sang. The song featured slide guitar at its most melancholy and Showalter’s voice at its most wistful.
He dedicated “Radio Kids” to everyone who stayed up late listening for that song on the radio…pressing record and hoping to hear the name of the band.
They geared up for a set-ending “Hyperspace Blues” which I thought would be a lot longer. But he was expecting his time to be over, so he kept it brief. Then there was a surprise.
My favorite moment came after midnight, after Strand of Oaks were already supposed have finished their set. “So, the good folks at NonCOMM said that we can play a little bit longer,” Showalter announced with a grin. “We did this one a few days ago and dedicated this to a very dear friend of mine. Someone who’s changed my life for the better and I’m so happy and I’m so proud of him, and it’s just so good to see him …” He trailed off but then continued, almost broken up, “We’re gonna do this one for my dear friend Bruce Warren — let’s give Bruce Warren a big round of applause. The world’s a better place ’cause you’re here, Bruce, and we love you, so we’re gonna do this one for you. And we’ll burn it a little extra long for NonCOMM.”
“Forever Chords,” burns for twelve minutes. It starts out slow, with a great tone and Showalter’s aching vocals. There’s lengthy guitar solos, and pianos solos. “The problem with living…. is one day you won’t” is not the happiest not to leave on, but the repeated chorus of “you hope it never ends” leaves us with an optimistic jamming moment.
[READ: May 30, 2019] “Revival Road”
Louise Erdrich writes unusual stories that I find very gripping.
This one is about a couple of families who live on Revival Road in rural new Hampshire.
The narrator is a middle aged woman who lives at home with her mother. There is this wonderful passage:
It is difficult for a woman to admit that she gets along wit her own mother. Somehow, it seem a form of betrayal.
The narrator is the lover of Kurt Heissman, a local artist. His wife had died in a car accident many years earlier and he only had his daughter left. She went to Sarah Lawrence. She did not like the narrator.
Heissman’s work involved massive pieces of native slate or granite. Pieces he couldn’t possibly move by himself so he always had a young man living in the guest house as his employee. He had him stay nearby to be ready the moment that inspiration struck. (more…)
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I had a ticket to see Against Me! on their “2 Nights / 4 Records / 48 Songs,” tour.
