[Seattle WA] Just a lone man on a
stage with a bit of a combover and an electric guitar. He was a
singer/songwriter in essence so the electric guitar was different – his sound
was loud as well, almost to the point of distortion, which I blamed on the kid
sound man diddling on his iphone. But it also spoke to the performer’s
boldness, and really lack of singer/songwriter-ness. I really liked his deep
voice. He immediately reminded me of Red House Painters – that kind of
melancholy rumble. Interesting lyrics too that make you want to pay attention. After
the first song, he asked the audience if they had any questions – unusual and
cute. A guy raised his hand and said, “Edward or Jacob?” The only reason I got
it was because my niece had asked me the very same question the week before –
David Bazan totally didn’t get it, and good for him. He rallied, debated the
merits of the two names, and picked Jacob because of his “Christian background.”
The question asker was polite and didn’t call him on it. His Christian
background came up several times (he said it like he was no longer Christian?),
but I attribute the blend of passion and restraint in his music to that
background. Another audience member asked him what he thought about the name
Jacobo, and he didn’t get that either. Then I was starting to feel embarrassed
for him, but finally he got it: “Oh you mean how people in other languages say
Jacob...” I didn’t like the second more rocking song. The songs I liked the most
kind of had a Songs: Ohia sound, but he performed them in the way Songs: Ohia
could never pull off live (damn that band for disappointing me so many times). I couldn’t figure out why people were
slinking across the floor trying to get close ups of him… I’d looked the show
up and given it a thumbs up in my little black book, but then promptly forgot
whatever I read. Pedro the Lion! They were The Band one SXSW – I don’t know
them or didn’t like what I heard and forgot about them – but any band deserves
a second chance, especially when their “lead singer and creative force” put on
such an interesting show all by himself. He asked for questions after his
second song too, and then it was really endearing because it seemed he was
serious instead of going for an effect – and especially because he was willing
to risk it after the first question session. The Jacobo guy asked him a long
muffled question that Bazan repeated as whether he wrote offensive lyrics
because he was trying to live up to his image…. Or… basically why? It was a
great question and he gave a great answer. Basically that this is art, it’s the
kind of art he likes, he immediately related to punk music when he first heard
it, still loves Fugazi, and so he feels he can push people in his music in ways
he wouldn’t in real life. Someone else asked what he’d be doing if he wasn’t a
musician. He thought about it and said that he would probably be a junior high
teacher, because it would be the sort of job with levels of humiliation
comparable to touring every day. And then I really liked him - he was kind of
deadpan comedian. He reminded the crowd how lucky they were to have a music
store like this, how rare it is, and it’s true. Waterloo will always be number
one in my heart, but Cactus Music is pretty all right. Speaking of, I
particularly like the monument on one wall to two great Austin bands, Black
Angels & Trail of Dead – although I think it’s more the label they’re both
on than a monument to Austin – I’ll believe what I want. I also love the two cloth
murals that portray Johnny Cash and Ray Charles (El Rey Charles) as day of the
dead skeletons – new Texas personified. Driving
out of the parking lot, I passed two people sitting at a table outside a
restaurant of some sort, with a bag of Chiclk-Fil-A and martinis on their table
– and that’s Houston for you. (photo courtesy of his wikipedia page)
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