"Live Music Is Better": Son Volt @ The Birchmere — 3/2/22

Son Volt The Birchmere, Alexandria, Virginia - March 2, 2022(photo by TW)

 

Last year, we had a rather life changing event occur where we can truly say that "The Music Saved Our Lives" -- both seriously and literally.

And -- as we discussed throughout 2020 & 2021 ... everybody knows "Live Music Is Better", of course. (Or, another example, "Live Music Is Better" - Mid-Summer 2021 Edition #2.) 

Earlier this month, we caught Son Volt at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia on March 2, 2022 and it was pretty stupendous.  Stupendous mainly because we  were simply enjoying live music by one of what we consider to be just about the 2nd most influential musician that we've had the pleasure to enjoy over the decades to watch and grow -- Jay Farrar. 

Many know Jay Farrar as a member of  Uncle Tupelo, the band which spawned the whole No Depression/alt-rock-country movement of the 90's. The implosion of Uncle Tupelo led to Jeff Tweedy spinning off to form Wilco and Farrar forming Son Volt.  The rest is history, as they say.

From Live Review: Son Volt @ The Birchmere — 3/2/22 | ParkLifeDC  by Mark Engleson:

At The Birchmere on March 2, the top half of the set included the first four tracks from Electro Melodier: “The Globe,” which opened the set, “Arkey Blue,” “Diamonds and Cigarettes,” and “Reverie.” “The Globe” was followed by “The 99,” a reference to the 99% — the song is about income inequality. Other songs from the first half of the set included “Back Against the Wall,” (which goes to similar territory as Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” without being a similar song), “While The World Waits,” “Sinking Down,” “Picking Up The Pieces, and “Hearts and Minds.”

After “Reverie,” the band reached into their songbook to deliver a smattering of fan favorites. I’ve already mentioned the three big ones from Trace; they also performed “Bandages & Scars,” an ode to Woody Guthrie; “Afterglow 61,” an homage to Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61,” “Driving the Route,” and “Medicine Hat.” For their encore, they did “Cherokee Street,” followed by the only cover of the evening, NRBQ’s “I Want You Bad.”

Son Volt are road warriors, almost certainly coming to a town near you. They play great music, the real shit, songs with substance that rock hard. Go see them. There may not be a lot of sizzle, but there’s plenty of steak, and you’ll go home feeling well-fed.

 Full concert review and photos @ Live Review: Son Volt @ The Birchmere — 3/2/22 | ParkLifeDC  by Mark Engleson.

 

 

Jay Farrar w/ Son Volt 

The Birchmere, Alexandria, Virginia - March 2, 2022

 (Photo by Casey Vock | ParkLifeDC)

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