Charlie Parr - Polaris Hall, Portland OR - November 3, 2022

[St Paul, MN] Charlie Parr was love upon first hearing for me. Our love doesn’t make sense – he’s bluegrass – he’s from Minnesota.. but he’s just got a way. 1) His music’s a little dark - reminiscent of Songs: Ohia / Electronic Magnolia Co and Townes. 2) He tells stories – like the Drive By Truckers and, more importantly, stories about everyday people. Once I saw him in person, in all his mentally ill glory, our love made more sense. He walked right by us on his way to stage – filthy saggy jeans, shuffling, his hair half balding and half wild. He drove himself out from Minnesota. He’s got these low lyrics about being a janitor and a convenience store clerk – which he probably was/is … he’s probably also a genius. He’s got the hollowed out fine bone structure of Flame, the halo of hair, even the glasses… wise bones, a sage prophet. He also reminded me of the meth head who lived down by the railtracks that R&J took me to visit – R&J let me ‘jam’ with them when I first moved to Austin – the meth head was a former lover of a professor and still respected by all despite a shambly life – what times I’ve had. He mentioned his dad fondly as many times as he told stories about his mom being emotionally abusive (dismissing his music, dismissing his book) – ‘okey doky’ he’d respond… why is he still talking about his parents in his 50s/60s? But maybe the disarray is just a façade. He looked so rough, I was concerned he wouldn’t be up for performing, but perform he did. His voice is powerful and clear. 

3) He’s not really bluegrass – more Americana heartland rock, par for the course with my high school vision of a man who was Tom Petty, John Denver, and Al Jourgensen. (the only one I take back now is John – wife-beating alcoholic) (Bad Monkey’s centering of Petty is amazing) ROBERT EARL KEEN! That sort of talking way of singing – always long dirt roads. In this terrible venue, I couldn’t see much beyond glimpses of the top of his nodding head and I swear the crowd was smaller for him than for the dumb bluegrass opening act, or maybe they’d crowded to the stage. He creates a cacophony of sound with his instrument(s). Lots of slide guitar. He creates rhythm – and there’s a little drone to his sound that I love. One song had more of a light-step sweet-dance song – IfIdBeenBornInIowa really liked it – it still had the same through line as the sound of his other songs. He did a Ronnie McGee (?) cover – his only cover and his only bluesy song. The crowd really started throwing fists with “Cheap Wine” – my personal favorite … a chills song with a great rowdy bass breakdown… everyone was sort of shook when it ended and Charlie drawled, “Next song is happier… well, not really… just faster… you can get away with a lot with this style of music <wink>” He’s also hilarious.