Dave Pirner with Soul Asylum at a show this summer at the Hard Rock Cafe in San Diego. (Photo courtesy of Hard Rock Cafe)
Soul Asylum with the New Amsterdams
Oct. 11 at the VooDoo Lounge
Soul Asylum opened its set Wednesday night with a crackling reading of "Somebody To Shove," a savage song from the band's heyday. A dozen years ago it would have ignited a frenzied mosh pit. Instead, the predominantly paunchy, middle-aged crowd at Harrah's VooDoo Lounge grinned sheepishly at one another.
It's been a rough stretch for Soul Asylum. Bassist Karl Mueller died of esophageal cancer last year. New Orleans transplant Dave Pirner, the band's gangly vocalist, suffered through Katrina's devastation. And the reception to "Silver Lining," the band's first album in eight years, has been underwhelming.
Adding insult to injury, Soul Asylum drew a meager audience of approximately 300 to their Kansas City show. Pirner and fellow lone original member Dan Murphy might have questioned their decision to get back together as they surveyed the largely empty venue. (One possible explanation for the size of the crowd: The band performed in this area in late July at the Buzz's annual "Beach Ball" fest.)
If they were disappointed it wasn't reflected in their energetic, passionate performance. Durable favorites like "Misery" and "Black Gold" were transformed into communal sing-a-longs. The band displayed even more enthusiasm for its newest songs, which figured prominently in the 22-song set. By contrast, "Runaway Train," the Minneapolis-based band's enormous 1993 crossover hit, received only a smattering of applause. Both Soul Asylum and their fans seem tired of it.
The band, beloved for its no-frills, journeyman ethic, still sound vital. New drummer Michael Bland, a veteran of Prince's band, was rock solid. Many in attendance had hoped that Tommy Stinson would perform with the band, but the bass position was filled by a competent but decidedly less glamorous player than the former Replacement and current Guns N' Roses star.
In a poignant moment, Murphy acknowledged his fallen comrade. "Karl said to say 'Hi,' and to put all your money on 13."
The members of Soul Asylum seemed very appreciative of the hundred diehard fans huddled against the VooDoo stage. But they must be wondering whether the odds are now permanently stacked against them.
The New Amsterdams fared even worse. The sound of the Lawrence quartet is far removed from the punk-inflected work that frontman Matt Pryor did with the Get Up Kids. Tasteful to a fault, the Amsterdams' plaintive folk is ideally suited for an upscale coffeehouse, not a cavernous casino. "This is terrible music to gamble to," Pryor admitted before another of his delicate songs ricocheted through the nearly empty lounge.
| Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star
A sad turnout for a relevant band indeed. Unfortunately most people have never explored Soul Asylum beyond Runaway Train. I have to admit that if that was the only Soul Asylum # I knew, then I wouldn't have been there either. It doesn't help the cause either, when the radio station promoting the show has DJs dissing the band. Perhaps a warmer reception might been provided in Lawrence. Nonetheless, the few of us there were greeted by a rock band aging like a fine red.
Posted by: LTB | October 13, 2006 at 12:22 PM