Concert Review: Joan Baez

I went to hear/see Joan Baez on Saturday night. The only other time I'd seen her was in August 2005, in the blistering heat (105˚F) of Crawford, Texas at Cindy Sheehan's Camp Casey. That was an experience. Saturday night? Tickets were selling for $45 each; my mother-in-law treated me, which was extremely sweet of her, or I wouldn't have gone. I'm actually not a huge Joan Baez fan.

She played a sold-out show to an audience that was largely in the 55 - 75 year-old range ... as you might expect. It is the 50 year anniversary of her first recording (made in 1959 -- the year I was born. That's just a little bind-boggling.) The songs she played ran the gamut, from the early ballads (Long Black Veil, Silver Dagger) to songs from a brand new album, produced by Steve Earle. She actually performed 5 songs by Steve Earle! (And only 1 by Bob Dylan.)

Overall it was an enjoyable concert but too often it veered over into being the kind of concert that PBS airs when they're having a pledge drive, if you know what I mean. A crowd-pleasing kind of concert for 55 - 75 year-olds. There was one flash of inspiration, when she sang Earle's wonderful song Jerusalem.

In her introduction to another Earle song -- Christmas in Washington -- Ms. Baez spoke about Woody Guthrie as being one of the first American singer-songwriters to take risks, and said that in her opinion, it was the risk-taking that distinguished a great songwriter from the others. I found that somewhat ironic, as she really took very few risks that evening. (She even edited a line in the song, changing "The unions have been busted and their proud red banners torn" to "and their banners have been torn.") Then again, at her age and this stage of her career, I think she's entitled to do a little laurel-resting.

I will admit that I was VERY pleased when she played Love Song To a Stranger. I think I probably wore out that song on my LP (you know those 12" round black thingies with the hole in the center) -- or at least made some family member want to throttle me -- back when I was a hopelessly romantic 15-year old. Sigh.

One more thing that happened at the concert. The venue where it was held chooses to hire outside security for some shows and not for others. When they hire security, the burly goons want to check everyone's purse for (management says) cameras, bottles, and cans. I have a problem with that. It's a public building (owned by the city, in fact,) not a private club, and I don't appreciate being treated like a potential criminal with warrantless searches. No other theater in town does it. So I refused. I spoke with the manager, who finally said, "I'll let you go in because you've paid for your ticket, but if you pull this stunt again you're never coming back here!"

Here's the thing: I was there to see Joan Baez, who is known for peace, love, protest, and civil disobedience. The concert was partially a benefit for Iraq Veterans Against the War. The concession stand was staffed by a guy wearing a "Resist Militarism" t-shirt. Every other person going in to that concert dutifully opened up their bag and allowed it to be searched. I was thinking, "What the hell? Does nobody else see a disconnect here, between what they presumably believe in and submitting to having their personal effects searched?"

When I refuse I look like a wacko troublemaker. What if ten people refused? Twenty? Fifty?

I felt a little ashamed throughout the rest of the evening, as if I had done something wrong. But I didn't do anything wrong. I stood up for the rights of the other 299 concert-goers! Anyway, it's perplexing and a little bit troubling. What do you think?