Review: Ryan Adams at the Uptown

Twinkle, twinkle little stars. The rock star is far left, bathed in light and surrounded by a solid band.

"Going to a Ryan Adams show," a guy in the lobby mused, "is like buying a lottery ticket." He was calling it a crap shoot, referring to Adams' reputation for cutting a show short or turning it into meltdown and a train wreck.

More accurately, instead of a game of very little chance, Adams is like a hormonal teenager: You never know what mood you're going to get from one moment to the next.

Tuesday  night, Adams brought his tight and sturdy band, the Cardinals, to the Uptown Theater. The place was nearly full; about 1,600 people took seats in chairs on the floor and in the theater seats in the lower level and up in the balcony.

Fans didn't sing-along much, but they did yell out song titles. After a few requests were made, Adams informed everyone that he and the band would absolutely not do a song someone yells out: "So yell them all out so we can cross them off the list and go home," he joked. By far the song most requested (and, thus, most ignored) was "Carolina Rain."

The crowd responded enthusiastically to many of the 18 songs, but it shouted loudest for "Games," then "Wild Flowers," off the "Gold" album, which seems to be his best-liked among those who started listening to him later in his career. I'd sure like to have heard something off "Strangers Almanac" or the superb "Faithless Street," his best work on his best (and earliest) albums with Whiskeytown. But that wasn't going to happen either.

Adams was the star and main attraction of this nearly two-hour show. But his band earned gushes of applause and appreciation, especially pedal-steel player Jon Graboff and guitarist Neal Cassal, who added some lovely and dynamic flourishes all night. They can be an impressive bunch. When they do the old-school country-rock/roots rock thing, the Cards evoke the sounds of the Dead and the Flying Burrito Brothers.

It took a while for Adams to warm up, but by the fourth song, he was acting out and cracking jokes and jousting with his band mates and the audience. When a lady yelled out, "I love you, Ryan," he shot back: "Then I apologize in advance." When male voice shouted "helicopter," Adams imitated the sound of a chopper, then advised the crowd: "We do take requests for audio sound affects."

As primed as the crowd was and as good as the band was, the show never seemed to hit full steam. Chalk it up to the seats (no one was standing; no one was dancing); and the show's predominantly low-key vibe. He and the Cardinals can rock loudly, and they did a few times ("Shakedown on 9th Street," "I See Monsters") but most of the set list comprised ballads and midtempo rockers that kept the mood in the room warm but relatively static. A couple of times (at least where I was) you could hear people talking, and there was significant traffic up the aisles and towards the bars and bathrooms.

Adams could have ignited and detonated things if he'd conceded to the wishes of so many and performed "Carolina Rain." His fans (customers, who paid $30 a ticket) were calling for that till the very end. Wasn't going to happen, though. He remained true to his word. Or maybe, on a night when he was relatively well-behaved, it was his lone act of defiance.

|Timothy Finn, The Star

Setlist: Good Night, Rose; Shakedown on 9th Street; Peaceful Valley; Games; Beautiful Sorta; The Sun Also Sets; Rescue Blues; Two; Everybody Knows; Wild Flowers; Off Broadway; Please Do Not Let Me Go; Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd.; Night Birds; I See Monsters; Cold Roses. Encore: Dear John; What Sin.

Comments

[redbeak]

absolutely awesome show; you could feel tension at first start of the show within the crowd, some of which I'm sure read the reviews coming out of Minneapolis. Sound was great, Ryan was funny, and we got a long set list....who can ask for more?

[redpunker]

Good show: his voice sounds even better live than on the albums. But I agree, it sure would've been nice to hear even one Whiskeytown song -- or any track from Love is Hell Pt. One.

[Wadkc]

Not knowing one song he wrote or ever seeing him perform, I went for the potential of a train wreck. So glad I did. HIs voice and band were outstanding. I think the best songs were the sparse, quiet ones where his voice and the bands meshed. I really enjoyed it. Pedal steel player was awesome.

I stayed after a bit talking with the band outside the venue. Nice guys. They then hit the road walking to Westport for late night fun.....

[Pat]

It was a great show musically, no special staging or lights, just music (with some odd comedy). The crowd did seem tense at first. When Ryan started joking around, I don't think anyone knew if he was really joking. I was concerned early when he would sometimes spend over a minute leaning over his effects pedals or trying to get the tune of the guitar just right, then end up switching it for another before starting a song. It's obvious he's a perfectionist. I will give him this, it's probably the cleanest mix I've ever heard in a concert anywhere. His voice was strong and clear, and I don't know why I never noticed the Neil Young tone in it before. It is really built for the alt country meets the Dead sound. Add to that the dynamics of the songs. Some of the mid tempo songs that started quietly would build into some very intense jams and back again. After one of his songs, he just yelled an excited obscenity and ecstatically explained that it was the best they ever played that song. He was genuinely thrilled that they had nailed it.

As to his behavior, yes it was the oddest personality I've seen in a while. After taking a drink, he would throw his head back and let out a loud sharp howl, like a tourette's reaction. A few times after odd dialogue with the band or audience, he would remind himself aloud that they had a rock show to play, as if it slipped his mind. He ordered his guitar player to play a tap effect and then laid down on the stage and threatened to go to sleep until he did it. That brought a series of I can upstage you antics with the guitarist, until they had switched places on stage and were mocking each other's mannerisms. He admitted that he felt strange, but it was probably because he quit smoking just two days ago. He received a nice round of applause for his accomplishment, but then he added, it might also be the "weirdness"... or at least a combination. Wasn't a train wreak this night - just an artist with peculiar moments. Never heard an impromptu cheese whiz song. Just don't request it. Oh, snap - punch in the neck.

[Wadkc]

Great pulls Pat!

[eric]

crowd enthusiasm was a downer. Who sits at a rock concert? 95% of people at the show last night i guess.

[dan]

As much of a talented individual Ryan Adams is, his attitude last night was terrible. He acted as if he was doing us a favor for being there, and that we as paying customers should put up with his pompous ass. For someone that supposedly sobered up recently, he might want to take a look in the mirror and realize that he is no better than anyone else in the crowd last night. "Your song is now for sure not going to be played" he chants as one of his fans yelled out repeatedly last night. But to no avail Mr. Adams continued to do his own thing, versus letting the crowd into the show and connecting with them.

He's gonna be playing the casino circuit when he's 40.

[Musical Justice]

Wow. I'd been toying with going but with Over The Rhine on Monday, the Klaxons Friday and maybe the Black Lips tonight if I can get motivated, I decided to pass on Ryan this time. After seeing that set list, I think I made the right call. With the possible exception Rescue Blues, there's not another song that would rank among the 20 best he's written in that set. I play over 60 different Ryan/Whiskeytown songs on my webcast @ www.musicaljustice.com and I only count four of 'em (Rescue Blues, Two, Shakedown & Beautiful Sorta) that he deemed worthy of the KC audience.

Sounds like they could have taken out all the chairs and it wouldn't have made that big a difference. Certainly couldn't hold a candle to the recent Lips, Arctic Monkeys or Arcade Fire shows...

I've seen Ryan solo at least 3 times, twice with Whiskeytown, and even once as the punkish Ryan Adams and the Pink Hearts. Love the guy but loving him is like dating a crazy, beautiful girl. You know your heart's going to be broken at some point, just not where or when.

[Geordan]

I agree with Dan. Although Ryan has 'cleaned up', he still has little regard for his fans and seems to be as big an a**hole as ever. I gave up on Adams after the disappointment of the 'GOLD' album and haven't looked back. Ryan Adams is one of the most overrated songwriters around, who unfortunately let the early praise of his brilliant work with Whiskeytown go to his drug-addled head. What a shame.

[Pat]

With as much material in his catalog, he could play all night and still leave fans without hearing their favorites. Personally, I wish he would have played more from "Heartbreaker" and something from "Rock and Roll". However, the show was billed as Ryan Adams & the Cardinals; so the set list was tilted heavily in favor of that line up and sound. Explains the more mellow atmosphere, that's the direction his music is heading currently.

5 new songs (Halloweenhead might have also been on the list, but it was shouted out and Ryan said it's now scratched off); 4 from "Jacksonville City Nights" and 2 from "Cold Roses", specifically Cardinal CDs. That doesn't leave much room for strictly solo material. 3 from "Gold", 2 from "Love is Hell", 1 each from "Heartbreaker" and "29".

I'd like to see his show have the same format as Bruce Hornsby at his last Uptown appearance. Do an extended show and have an intermission. Without an opening act, just start promptly (didn't happen last night), then the band can pace themselves and easily play a full 3 hours with a 20 minute break. That could add 7 to 9 songs to the show, which would go a long way to get in those older songs. This would also help solve the other problem of the night. Too many people getting up too often to buy and return beer.

[Bells]

Was I disrespecting the great Ryan Adams by getting up during his set to get beer? The five beers I consumed was the only reason I was mildly entertained. No one complains of beer runs when the crowd is standing (which I would have prefered) but the decision to have chairs on the floor rests solely on the artsist.

[RaiderHawk]

Ryan Adams + Beer = Beer

Ryan Adams - Beer = Nap

[Pj]

Sorry I missed the KC show but I did catch the St Louis show on the way back to town. It was great. Truly a talent. Now, as for standing, sorry I like having a seat. Our tickets were $50 each. Nothing like having a 6 foot goof jumping around in front of a 5 foot 4 inch frame! Sorry. I paid good money to see the show to have it ruined by an over zealous goon blocking the view.

[Tim Finn]

I sympathize with people who can't see the stage when it's GA /standing. But I hate sitting down at a rock show. It makes for an inert experience, like I might as well be at home watching the DVD.