REVIEW: The Echo Lounge 12/10/2003

[Jeff Holland <jeff@thedirtroad.net>]

-- 
"Listen to me whisper... we can sleep when we're dead"
Over the Rhine - Show Me

jeff@thedirtroad.net
http://www.thedirtroad.net/jeff
      Over the Rhine returned to The Echo Lounge last night, and this
time I was there to see them!  This band never ceases to amaze me.  
Every time I see them I think "this must be the greatest Over the Rhine
concert I have ever been to" and then they one up it.

      Here's what they look like:  Linford is boxed in on stage right
with his Keyboard, Wurlitzer, and Hammond Organ.  He's wearing a black
coat, red shirt, and sock hat.  Karin is front middle with black pants, red top 
and a black jacket over it looking oh, so fine.  Sixpence none the Richer's
Matt Slocum is wearing a shirt with a dress coat over it and playing guitar
on stage left.  He's got his slide guitar behind him.  Rick "Shady" Plant
is directly behind Linford with his little hat and bass guitar.  Devon 
Ashley is barely visible tucked away in the back of the stage with a sock hat.
They looked very wintery.

     No River City opened first.  Guy on guitar and a girl on guitar or cello.
Most of their songs seemed to center around white-trash lifestyle.  They were
okay, somewhat humorous.  Susan Enan was next and while she was enjoyable, I 
was having a hard time with her slow tempo songs after being awake for some 
17 hours.

     Here's the setlist as best as I can remember it.

Hometown Boy
Show Me
Nobody Number One
She
Jesus In New Orleans
Darling, Christmas Is Coming
All I Ever Get For Christmas Is Blue
I Radio Heaven
Hallelujah
Give Me Strength
Ohio
BPD
Silent Night
Let It Be

Jack's Valentine
Latter Days


And now some notes, and personal thoughts...
Hometown Boy
   I never would've thought of this as an opener, but it was awesome.
Started right out the gate with awesome and they never left awesome.

Show Me
   The very up-tempo start got the crowd in it right from the beginning,
I'd guess there were 60-80 people there, and they were all very into the show.

Nobody Number One
   Let's face it.  Devon Ashley.  The brother can lay down a groove. 
   
She
Jesus In New Orleans
   Nick Purdy from Paste Music was at the concert and Karin and Linford did
this song from him.  Matt played slide guitar for this one?
  
Darling, Christmas Is Coming
   Complete with a key change and the key change story from Karin.  Linford
asked us to applaud if we liked it and so we did, right at the key change,
drawing laughter from the band.

All I Ever Get For Christmas Is Blue
   "We think Christmas music is too happy.  We are doing our best to 
change that." - Linford

I Radio Heaven
   I missed Jack's guitar.  I really did.  Matt did an good job, but 
Jack Henderson could really tear this one up.

Hallelujah
   However, this was where Matt Slocum earned his paycheck!  This was just
Karin, Linford, and Matt on the stage with Matt playing the cello.  Beautiful
cover of Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" and reminded me strongly of "Rhapsodie"
I wonder if they were thinking of "Hallelujah" when they wrote that song?

Give Me Strength
   Karin on the piano and Matt on the cello with a long, rolling intro.  

Ohio
   Karin, by herself, on stage on piano.

BPD
   Karin's "hissy fit."  She played piano while Linford sat directly behind
her and played the Hammond.   Everyone else saunters back on to the stage as
she begins the song.

Silent Night
   Somewhere around here, Karin introduces the band.  Someone had given her
some whiskey about halfway through the show and she was starting to get giggly
as she introduced everyone.  She mentioned the crew and thanked the 
openers.  When she mentioned that Susan Enan was looking to move to the US
and "if anyone had any tips for her" to let her know.  Someone in the front of
the crowd offered to make her an American citizen by marrying her which spawned
off all sorts of jokes from the stage.  Karin said their merch guy, Dave Nixon,
is also a pastor and would be looking forward to having a second job later that 
night.  Linford offered to play the processional and started playing 
"Whiter Shade of Pale"  Good times.

Let It Be
   Again, Karin played piano while Linford played organ.  

ENCORE:
Jack's Valentine
   Oh, fun here.  Linford's microphone would not cooperate, so after a 
couple tries, Karin finally picked up her microphone stand and held it like 
a boom over Linford's equipment and Linford would lean into it and do 
his part.  Then, when it was time for her little "ooohs" she would take 
the microphone back and sing her part and then return the microphone to 
Linford.  I hope someone took some pictures of this.  The image was 
priceless: Karin looking like some TV tech crew guy, eyes rolling and 
holding out the microphone stand to Linford.  Then they racheted it up a 
notch and let Devon Ashley loose and he went with it.  Wow.  He is apparently 
a part of a three-piece band called "Pieces"? (I think?)  

Latter Days
    ...and that closed out the night.  Great, great show.  

    Y'all are going to have a great time at the Taft.  Have fun!
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