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?

Hope and Inspiration

Mr. Ether and I went to hear Steve Earle in concert last night. In these dark times when -- even yet -- people fail to speak out, Steve Earle is such a beacon. And he gets it. Not just about the war on Iraq, but on war in general, immigration, unions, globalization ... he totally gets it and speaks out. Sure, last night in Madison he was preaching to the choir, but the choir needs some hope and inspiration too.

He played for pretty much a solid 2 hours, and it was only in the second hour that he started talking politics. I thought the most radical thing he said was, "Wars aren't ended by listening to music. You gotta SING!" which some might find quaint, but is something that I passionately believe and preach to my kindergartners (only in different words.) [SOAPBOX ALERT] Think of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, John Lennon, Joan Baez. The incredible harmonies of Sweet Honey in the Rock were honed in jails in the Jim Crow South and fueled the Civil Rights Movement. Music is a powerful force. In my opinion, one of the great blights of these times we're living in is the fact too many of us consider ourselves to be consumers. We have to be the makers, the creators, and that includes of music and art of all sorts. Do you fancy yourself a revolutionary? Making your own music is a revolutionary act. Got a limited amount of money and thinking of buying an iPod? Buy a guitar. Got it? Buy. a. guitar. [END SOAPBOX ]

Going to hear live music, on the other hand, is incredibly inspirational.

A few minor disappointments of the evening: Steve wasn't touring with a band this time, only his wife and a DJ who did all the back up music. I missed other instrumentalists and the give and take of a live band.

Then there were the two seemingly drunk women sitting near us who kept screaming things like, "You're hot Steve!" and "Do it to me, baby!" and other equally mature things. Thankfully they stumbled out partway through the show. Maybe that was when they realized he is married and on tour with his wife.

Finally, and perhaps this won't make sense to people in bigger cities with bigger city problems, but for some reason the theater hired an out of town security firm which appeared to be largely staffed by muscular bullies who roamed the theater during the show making rather than preventing problems. Mr. Ether had two run-ins with the same guy, who was just a thug. Now, this theater started out as a neighborhood operation, it wouldn't exist without the support of its neighbors (like us), it is in the heart of old hippie land, the average age of three quarters of the audience was over 40 ... c'mon! There was no need for such heavy-handed tactics.

But ... it was a good show anyway, and the new Steve Earle album is well worth a listen, and maybe a buy.