Gary Louris & Mark Olson (TheJayhawks), Halfway @ TheTroubadour, Brisbane,(22/05/09)

Mon 25th May, 2009 in Gig Reviews

The Troubadour’s status as Brissy’s alt-country temple remains undaunted following recent high-profile shows by Jolie Holland and John Doe/Jim White, and tonight’s visit of a groundbreaking Minnesotan institution is a further reputation-boosting factor for the cosy venue. Regrettably, I’ve turned up too late to witness one-third of Halfway – Chris and John – set the requisite vibe with some quality, locally-distilled storysongs, however fifteen minutes later, I cast aside my disgruntled thoughts about tonight’s music program starting too early even by The Troub’s laidback standards as The Jayhawks-fronting headliners walk on for their second-ever Australian (and first-ever Brisbane) appearance.

Long revered as Americana’s own Lennon/McCartney, Gary Louris and Mark Olson instantly have the crowd in the palms of their seasoned hands at the first strummed G chord. Visually an unlikely, standup-quality pairing – the shaggy-haired, bespectacled Louris could be anyone’s geeky uncle, while the slightly portly, bandanna-sporting Olson is a different sight altogether – the two singer-songwriters wrap the room in pitch-perfect vocal interplay and deft guitar work, sending all and sundry into Harmony Heaven. Cuts from this year’s superb Ready For The Flood album and ‘90s masterworks Hollywood Town Hall and Tomorrow The Green Grass don’t so much provoke thoughts about the recent deluge as bring up a whole spectrum of moods and emotions ranging from wistful (none more so on the lilting Saturday Morning, Sunday Street) to radiant (_Two Angels_ and the evergreen Waiting For The Sun).

Fittingly, we don’t get anything from the Olson -free Sound Of Lies and Smile, yet whatever frictions that tore up the creative partnership in the first place are nowhere to be felt underneath the dollops of honeyed vocals, The Everly Brothers-like Over My Shoulder chiming like a bundle of bells. Jam-heavy When The Wind Comes Up sees Louris (whose six-string and harmonica mastery is to die for) and his compadre tear it up on their Gibson acoustics and the main set closer Settled Down Like Rain incites a bona fide ovation. Following a rousing encore rendition of Rainy Day Music’s ever-gorgeous Angelyne, the duo bow out in majestic fashion with Tomorrow The Green Grass’s stunning opener Blue. The song’s soaring chorus stuck in my head for days to come, I head home convinced that the pared-down, “unplugged” Jayhawks rock – and quietly mesmerise – just as compellingly as the electric version. Rainy day music par excellence.