Show Review + Photos: Jay Farrar Heats Up the Old Rock House, Thursday, June 17
Clad in a kitschy, long-sleeved black cowboy shirt, Jay Farrar barely flinched from the heat as he plowed through a 100-minute set loaded with Son Volt's recent catalog and a few classics in front of a sold-out crowd at the Old Rock House.
Photo: Jason Stoff Jay Farrar last night at the Old Rock House. See a full slideshow from last night's Jay Farrar solo gig at the Old Rock House.
View a full slideshow from Jay Farrar's solo gig at the Old Rock House.
The Col. Ford Duo, with Dade Farrar (Jay's brother) on upright bass and Gary Hunt on electric guitar, started the night with their mix of classic country swing and Hunt originals. "We play pop music," Dade said. "Music your pop probably liked." Dade's strong vocals and bass antics - he swings it around like an underweight dance partner - highlighted classics such as "Moanin' the Blues" and "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke".
Jay's the more subdued Farrar brother. He countered Dade's high energy and broad smile with a solid foundation based on classic acoustic guitar and his impeccable lyrics. Mark Spencer, the multi-instrumentalist who's a part of the current Son Volt line-up, gave Farrar's foundation color and flair with keyboards and pedal steel, acoustic and electric guitars; he stayed glues to his fort of instruments.
The set started with a heavy sampling from Son Volt's 2009 album, American Central Dust. Farrar dedicated he fossil fuel warning cry "When the Wheels Don't Move" to BP. He created the deep roots and rhythm of a funeral march with Spencer's keyboard as high, tinkly piano. Spencer moved to pedal steel for the following "Cocaine and Ashes," where he managed to evoke Stones riffs in traditional country mourning. Farrar's vocals remain as emotive and steadfast as they did two decades ago. 
Photo: Jason Stoff Jay Farrar last night at the Old Rock House. See a full slideshow from last night's Jay Farrar solo gig at the Old Rock House.
At times Spencer's keyboards overpowered Farrar, particularly on "No Turning Back" and "The Picture"; they sounded too synthesized for the songs. The venue's sound system didn't help, either -- throughout the show Farrar had to request audio tweaking.
The keyboards worked more often than not, though. On "Dynamite," Farrar remained unwavering while Spencer turned the keyboards into calliope, reminiscent of the accordion in Springsteen's early Jersey boardwalk ballads. Before "San Francisco" from Farrar's Jack Kerouac-inspired collaboration with Ben Gibbard, he noted, "This song mentions God. When I think of God, I think of Willie Nelson." It seemed more like he's been studying from the Book of Neil Young, what with its raucous acoustic guitar and harmonica jam.
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