Sunday at ACL Fest: I bussed down alone to see the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra. Happily it was in the pavilion, the only stage with shade, which was becoming critical: it was about 100 degrees at 4pm. They started and were OK. They had a tight horn section and a decent groove but each song was a 20 minute jam without enough variation to get me hyped about it. 15 minutes into song three I decided to eject from the pavilion in seach of Elvis Costello, who had just started playing on the other side of the park.
I didn’t even get close. Too hot, too many people - hey, I don’t even like Elvis Costello that much anyway. I turned around and headed to this little stage where I had heard something kind of yummy on my way to Elvis.
Oh my friends, how can I explain the joyous wonder that is Bobby Bare Jr. live? I am a convert. When he talked he shreiked. He was in a full black suit and tie and screamed: “Do you like my jacket? I melt in it for you!” The songs oscillated between psychelic sound walls with screams and sparse chords as backdrop to precious singing. “Do you like the rock and roll? DO YOU LIKE THE ROCK AND ROLL?” he screamed.
Yes. Yes I do like the rock and roll.
They closed with a schizophrenic version of Quiet Riot’s ‘Come on Feel the Noise’, where Bobby sweetly, softly sang the verses and then they rawked out for five minutes, then he reverted to folk-boy again. Good god, this man can come to dinner. And his drummer too.
yara | 24-Sep-04 at 4:37 am | Permalink
seattle loves the Bobby Bare, Jr. very, very popular. and how could he not be?!