LOCATION: Biola University, La Marada, CA
LINEUP: Karin, Linford, Jack
REVIEW BY: Oncleboo
The Karin, Linford, & Jack show made its way to southern California Sunday night, playing Biola University's Sutherland Hall in La Mirada, CA. Most of my friends don't dig OtR for some reason, and those few that do like them were all busy with other things, so I was off to Biola on my own. Former listie Melanie and her friend Robbie would be there though, so I knew I'd have someone to hang with. While waiting for the doors to open, I met a former listie named Stephanie, who hails from San Diego, along with her friends Carl and Rachel. Rachel, they said, had flown in from Seattle for the concert. I tried to talk Stephanie into rejoining the list, but didn't really get the feeling I was very successful. Unfortunately, David Dean wasn't able to make the trip from Arizona after all, so I didn't get the chance to meet him. A lurker named Ryan (also from Arizona) told me he'd be there, but I never saw anyone wearing the shirt he said he'd be in, so I didn't get to meet him either. Being first in line, I was able to grab front row seats for Melanie, Robbie, and myself. They apparently managed to get lost on their way to the school though, so I had those seats to myself until the intermission following Robert Deeble's opening set. This was the 5th time I've seen Robert Deeble play (always as an opener - once for VOL, and 4 times for OtR) and he put together what seems to be a fairly typical show for him, though all the songs he played this time are (so far) unrecorded. Since Chris Hahn has had the opportunity to play with Mr. Deeble before, if he's so inclined, I'll let him step in and describe his style since I have no doubt that he'd do a better job of it than would I. I'd guesstimate that Sutherland Hall's seating capacity is around 250, but it was only half-full, at most. Before the show, I spoke briefly to Linford as he was setting up the merch table and he said that Biola had contacted them about doing this concert just a month or so earlier. Hopefully the rapidity with which this was put together was the only reason for all the empty seats. Karin, Linford and Jack came onstage after about 15 minute break and had to spend the first 10 minutes or so working out some technical/sound problems. Karin was seated at centerstage, with Linford on her right at his keyboard, and Jack on her left with a collection of guitars, several of which were not his. During the course of the show, it was mentioned that the acoustic he was playing had been loaned to them by one of the students in attendance= who'd borrowed it from his bandmate. The lap steel that Jack played was provided by Matt Wignall, who is from... Havalina Rail Co.? Don't know for sure, but I think that's who he plays with. Anyway, here's the set list: Go Down Easy Bothered Anything At All Jesus in N.O. Green-Clouded Swallowtail I Radio Heaven Little Blue River (not played) Faithfully Dangerous Curse These Dreams Holy Rain The World Can Wait Ohio (not played) Lucy Jack's Valentine Miles Latter Days - ----------------------- Poughkeepsie (not played) Like A Radio Over all, it was a very pleasant show. They seemed to be enjoying themselves more and were far more at ease than I've seen them at times (the Taft show, for instance). Definitely more banter amongst the three of them than I'm accustomed to seeing. A few notables: a) Finally got to hear Jesus in New Orleans. It's a keeper. b) I Radio Heaven seemed a bit darker than how I've heard it in the past, and that worked well, IMO. Knowing that this was taking place on the campus of Christian college, I wonder if I was merely imagining Karin accentuating the "slut with a mission" line. c) Linford played his acoustic rather than they keys during Faithfully Dangerous. Was reminiscent of the pulling-the-wings-off-an-insect version they played a couple years back. d) Jack almost didn't sing Holy Rain because of a bug that's been going around the band. A couple times his voice was really, really gravelly, but I noticed after the show that the merch table had sold out of "Cheap Tattoo". e) Finally got to hear Like A Radio in concert. I still don't think it's one of their better songs, and have no idea why they'd chose to end a concert with it, especially on the heels of Latter Days and/or Poughkeepsie. For those of you who wanted to be here, but couldn't make it, they announced that another swing along the west coast is being planned for May, though the venues have not yet been determined. I know I'll be there, as usual.