When E made a reference during his April 27th performance at Mr. Smalls as “Dad Rock” I got the joke. There were plenty of dads in attendance. And there were also plenty of grand parents. And plenty of Millenials. And plenty of every group in between. When I go to a show like this I’m reminded that while my musical tastes may not be as mainstream as most people, there are still plenty of folks out there with great taste, and quite frankly age has nothing to do with it. Its one of those “It’s an opinion, but it’s fact” situations.
First of all, Mr. Smalls is a great place to see a concert. It was only my second time in the building (I saw Ryan Adams on his Cold Roses tour here back in 2005). The acoustics, the atmosphere and the logistics of getting in and out of the building are top notch. On the radio the other day I heard about an upcoming local event called Yinzfest which is taking place at Mr. Smalls on July 27 and the organizers were talking at length about Mr. Smalls. There are just so many nooks and crannies and the place is deceptively large. It is a perfect example of adaptive re-use as it relates to architecture and I’m glad that it is my city. While I’m not sure that Millvale will ever get to the same level as Lawrenceville, I do know that the location this close to Pittsburgh and the fact there is a bar on every corner makes this place Hipster Central.
But back to the Eels performance. Quite simply, they rock. They rock now. They rocked years ago and they will be rockin’ in the free world for years to come. Below is a set list based on my recollection of the event. The order is kinda close, but it is far from spot on and I’m sure I missed at least a half dozen other songs.
Out in the Streets (Who cover)
Raspberry Beret (Prince cover)
I Like Birds
Fresh Blood
She said Yeah (Rolling Stones cover)
Bone Dry
I Need Some Sleep
Today is the Day
I Like the Way this is Going
My Beloved Monster
Dog Faced Boy
You Are the Shining Light
Prizefighter
Souljacker, Part 1
Novocaine for the Soul
Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues
The End (Beatles cover)
The band is tight. E seems to have settled into a rhythm with this current lineup and it shows. My only other experience with seeing the band live was for a super-fast, high octane performance back in 2006 at the Three Rivers Arts Festival for a free, albeit abbreviated stop on their Live and in Person! No Strings Attached Tour. But considering the 151 was flowing in huge quantities that night, the most I can remember was that version of the Eels was as close to a punk band as they probably ever got. And I remember I really enjoyed the show. And I also remember that Television followed the Eels that night and I’m sure they were thinking back stage that following that blistering set would be no easy task.
This version of the Eels seems polished, to say the least. There was no slop in their sound as the musicians weaved in and out of just where they thought the audience wanted to see them go. As is typical with the Eels, the concert version of their songs can be quite different from their studio version. But if you sit and scan YouTube you will see virtually the same alternative versions of songs that showed up at this performance. As a fan you like to think that a band treats every performance as its own special thing, and not just a job. But this isn’t the Sex Pistols. This is a band that shows up and delivers highly polished versions of their songs we all want to hear. The only thing that I can say that was a bit cringe worthy was hearing E make fun of the fact that they were playing in a church. With his first comment about the devil it was humorous, although expected. I presume every act that plays at Mr. Smalls makes a comment about playing in an old Catholic church. But after the second and third comment it seemed to get a bit old.
But I’m not calling them tired in the least. Their latest album contains several songs that are clearly worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as “I Like Birds,” “My Beloved Monster,” and “Novocaine for the Soul” . I hope and very much believe that E will continue making quality music for years to come. Every so often he seems to take things in a different direction and as a fan of his skills I will be sure to go along for the ride.
But this wasn’t just about the headlining act. I cannot remember the last time I went to a concert where the opening act totally caught my attention. I went in not knowing anything about Inspector Cluzo, but when I left I made it a point to find out more about them. This is what my buddy Steve, the proprietor of Gilgamesh Forge had to say about the duo.
For me, The Inspector Cluzo performance was a needed reminder that live music in the right venue is a wholly worthwhile use of my time. I was feeling old and jaded, so watching the middle-aged Gaullic version of the White Stripes kick out the jams was exactly the medicine I needed. Vive le Rock and Roll!
I can’t think of a better thing to say about this duo. Check them out. You wont be disappointed.