Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 12:24:08 -0500
From: loden@ll.mit.edu (Tom R. Loden *8^0)
Subject: The Paradise, Boston on Dec. 12th

Well, I finally got to see these guys last Wednesday here in Boston.  
Somehow, I failed to be really wowed. Maybe I'm getting too old for
this stuff. I dunno. First, here's the set list (pls excuse any mistakes
since (1) I copied this from the sound-board list which I coulnd't read that
well and  (2) I'm not that familiar with all their stuff enough to
interpolate):

   (A) Fifteen Keys
       Watch He Fall
       Grindstone
       Satan
       True To Life
   (A) Anodyne
   (A) The Long Cut
   (A) Slate
       Atomic Power
   (A) New Madrid
       Sandusky
   (A) Steal the Crumbs
   (A) Acuff-Rose
   (A) Chickamauga
   (A) We've Been Had
   (A) Give Back the Key to my Heart
   (A) No Sense in Lovin'
       ----------------------------------
       Sanget (?)
       Willin'
       Gun
       Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.       - great cover!
       Truck Drivin' Man

For the most part, it was an ok show. I tended to like the acoustic/no drum
songs the most. At one point, Jeff was playing a hollow bodied bass that
sounded very sweet. I think their strength lies in the fact that they are
all really talented on many instruments, thus giving their sound much 
diversity.

WARNING : TANGENT!!

   At the risk of going off the subject, Wednesday's show brought up a point
   that has been plaguing/annoying me for awhile and I would truely like some
   feedback:

      Does it bother anyone (besides myself) when bands play too loud?

   For the past 7-8 years or so I have started to develop a real intolerance
   for too many decibels. Take Wed. night, for example. The drums & Jay's
   guitar were much too loud. You could barely hear anything else (it wasn't
   quite that bad). I mean I happen to love Jay's voice. I happen to like
   alot of Uncle Tupelo's lyrics. But it doesn't f***ing matter because I
   I could neither hear the vocals nor discern ANY lyrics. Thus it begs the
   question: "Why go to a club to hear live music when it's both more cost
   effective and sonically superior to stay at home."

   If anyone has any intelligent comments (pro/con) I'd love to hear them
   as this has become a philosophical dilemma for me.

For a more upbeat review, here's one from the indie-list:
(included without permission):

> From: LePageL/MF <LePageL/MF@hermes.bc.edu>
> 
> Show review: Lou Barlow, Blood Oranges, Uncle Tupelo at the Paradise, Boston,
> MA
> 
> 	Tonight, Lou was the sad man, opening this Born to Choose
> extravaganza with quiet intensity.  Yes, it was another solo acoustic set,
> but unlike October's Middle East gig, you could hear him AND his guitar,
> together and separately.  He seemed to be trying out a lot of new
> material, along with a few from past Sebadoh recordings.  I liked the song
> about being in love with his sister Lisa, and the one asking his
> ex-girlfriend to ditch "that guy." My friend Ronnie was going to yell for
> "Soul Mate" as many times as necessary, but Lou, ever-accomodating, played
> it on the first holler.  (Ronnie was grateful.) But poor Lou, he seemed to
> get more passionate and more sad with each song.  By the end of the set,
> we were drawing straws to determine who would go up there and give the guy
> a hug.  Chickens that we are, we settled for applauding with great warmth
> and conviction. 
> 
> 	Next up was Blood Oranges, a local rock/country/bluegrass outfit
> who've been kicking around for a while.  They have a couple of excellent
> records out (_Corn River_ cd is classic, IMO), and have been consistently
> impressive live.  So of course, tonight, they were only good.  On the plus
> side, Cheri sang more lead.  She has a tough but tender alto voice, and
> writes great songs in a bluesy country/rock vein.  The rest of their new
> stuff sounds up to their usual high standard, with one killer kiss-off
> tune ("You better look over your shoulder").  On the down side, they
> didn't seem to be quite in synch, particularly the guitar and mandolin,
> and consequently, solos were a little more pedestrian than I've come to
> expect.  Still, a great live band, and a good show -the highs points more
> than compensated for the ragged execution. 
> 
> 	Uncle Tupelo headlined with energetic aplomb, looking young and
> only a little bit earnest.  I've always loved the off-kilter dynamic they
> get by mixing folky acoustic verses with high-rev punky choruses; their
> songs lurch but in a good way.  Live, they were loose and loud, with tight
> vocal harmonies .  Tweedy and the other guy traded lead vocals, and
> between songs Tweedy skulked around the stage looking like an overjoyed Ed
> from Northern Exposure.  He made you feel happy just watching him.  They
> played a bunch of stuff from _Anodyne_ along with a few from previous
> releases, augmenting their instrumental attack with a very competent
> fiddle/mandolin/banjo player.  The encores were great: covers of
> "Willin,'" "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere," and "Truck Drivin' Man,"
> along with "Gun" which remains my favorite song off _Still Feel Gone_. 
> Everything I could have hoped for, and worth the two year wait. 
> 
> 	Sadly, no more shows until after Christmas (I'm going to B-more to
> see the folks). But who knows, maybe this will be my big chance to check
> out the highly touted, much improved Baltimore indie scene!  All for now
> 
> --- Lise [lepagel/mf@hermes.bc.edu]

Later,
Tom