"Beelzebub's Ball" was the unfortunate name given to this two-night Halloween event. Fortunately the Prince of Darkness made no personal appearances. To live up to the name, there was a devilish carnival atmosphere with lots of red lighting, cardboard flames, and evil-looking costumes. For those who came for the music and not the spectacle, the infernal goings-on were confined to the lobby so as not to distract from the fine lineup of artists that the event offered.
In spite of being the middle act on the bill, Son Volt was clearly the main draw for the evening, judging by the hundreds of people crowding every inch of the large open space at the foot of the theater's stage during their set. The injustice of the order of events wasn't too great, though, as the other artists did not disappoint. Patty Griffin's moody opening set showed a great deal more depth than one would expect from her most recent Sheryl Crow-y album, Flaming Red. Headliners Grant Lee Buffalo followed Son Volt with a passionate 90 minutes of pop mixed with Americana driven by singer Grant Lee Phillips and his distinctive, versatile voice.
Restricted to just over an hour of stage time, Son Volt made the most of it. Wasting no time with idle chit-chat between songs (not a difficult task for this notoriously introverted band), Jay Farrar and his bandmates ripped through eighteen songs. Despite the fact that the pacing may have been more suited to Bad Religion or MxPx, the set never felt rushed. No frills, no extended solos or jamming, just song after song of their rock-solid take on traditional American music filtered through Farrar's cow-punk roots and weary world view. The song choices (which did not include any from Farrar's former band, Uncle Tupelo) tended to be the more upbeat numbers from Son Volt's three albums, which was quite appropriate given the time constraints. It may have been the evening's tight schedule in the back of their minds that inspired them to tear up the closing set of rockers ("Drown", "Route" and "Straightface") with a punk-like urgency not even hinted at on their albums.
Like the patron saint of road trips, Farrar's songs suggested winding highways under wide-open skies, and the other players were perfect complements to his vision. Mike Heidorn's drumming kept the engine running with understated timekeeping. Multi-instrumentalist Dave Boquist stayed with his electric guitar for the whole set, casting some of the quieter songs like the brooding "Tear-Stained Eye" in a more playful light. Bassist Jim Boquist frequently added backing vocals, shadowing Farrar's melodies like a curious state trooper.
The encore of "Windfall" was a fitting way to end Son Volt's set, as the chorus of "Both feet on the floor, two hands on the wheel, may the wind take your troubles away" served as a hopeful benediction. Amen, brother Jay. Drive safely.
Set List:
