Review: J.D. Souther

Photos by Matt Cook/Friend of B2R

Show time for Saturday’s performance by J.D. Souther was supposed to be 8 p.m. But at 7:50 p.m., patrons entering Knuckleheads were advised: The show was being delayed, by at least an hour. Inside, a crowd of about 100 was gathered, most were sitting at tables in near silence, listening to a guy tap out single notes on an upright piano. Earlier that evening, Souther and his accompanist, Chris Walters, told Knuckleheads management that the piano wasn’t tuned to their liking and needed to be adjusted or the show wouldn’t go on . So a tuner was summoned on a Saturday night to fixed what ailed the piano. And 75 minutes after its scheduled start, the show began.

Souther, 66, is best-known for his songwriting collaborations with the Eagles’ Glenn Frey and Don Henley (“Best of My Love,” “Heartache Tonight”) and for writing hit songs for other artists, like “Faithless Love” for Linda Ronstadt. 

He is a recording artist, too, with six studio albums on his discography, and a singer with a voice that, in its prime, was well-suited for his tender ballads about love and all its joys and sorrows-- a voice that showed his affection for one of his music heroes, Roy Orbison. These days, however, his voice is as rough as the scruffy grey beard he wears, which adds a deeper sense of regret and longing to his forlorn songs.

By the time he and Walters took the stage, more than 150 people were in the room and Souther gave them an 80-minute tour of his songwriting resume, though not necessarily the songs for which he is best-known. Accompanied by Walters and himself on guitar, Souther opened with “Go Ahead and Rain,” a track off his latest album, “Natural History.” He followed that with one of those Eagles tunes, “New Kid in Town,” then two bittersweet ballads: “Faithless Love” and “Silver Blue.”

He dropped in an austere version of “Bye Bye Blackbird” and, a few songs later, a cover of the Fats Waller standard, “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” then another Eagles song, “The Sad Cafe.” “I have one or two uptempo songs,” he told the crowd. “I never play them, but I have them.” Then he played one, “Banging My Head Against the Moon,” which sways to a world-beat rhythm. One of the better moments of the night came late: the lovely “You’re Only Lonely,” his homage to Orbison.

Souther looks like a combination of actors Richard Crenna and Clint Eastwood. He is an actor, too, so he can deliver a story with some panache, like the one behind Bob Seger’s contributions to “Heartache Tonight,” the other uptempo moment of the evening. He dropped a few names of well-known friends, like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who is recording some of his songs, and talked of days with well-known collaborators, like Henley, Frey, Warren Zevon and Bonnie Raitt. 

But this evening, his personae was often on the chillier side of charming. He wisecracked about the Eagles and their $250 ticket prices. He made a way-off-color remark about how encores were like C-sections and then cursed when most people cringed and didn’t laugh. But most off-putting were his remarks about Knuckleheads. At a time when most performers copiously thank people for spending their money on something as discretionary as live music, it was odd to hear someone tell a crowd that had paid $28 to $35 a ticket and sat through a 75-minute delay that the accommodations were inferior. Essentially, he lamented that a guy of his stature, who just played Lincoln Center, had to play to small crowds at modest joints like this one when he comes to the Midwest -- you know, joints with neon beer signs that sit next to train tracks, though he professed his love for trains. I suppose it can be brushed-off as good-natured ribbing that landed below the ribs. Or maybe some folks don’t have an ear for off-key commentary.

| Timothy Finn, The Star

Comments

[Larry Luper]

"The Sad Cafe" is dedicated to one of The Eagles' SOCAL friends (John somebody - see liner notes), who passed way too early. i like the ballad. No performer should offend a crowd after making them wait...he has worked with many great artists, but that is not an excuse.

[Trucker]

Terrible show, he was arrogant and ignorant, making no secret that he considered the venue and the size of the crowd beneath him. After having the piano tuned for over an hour, perhaps he could have spent a couple of minutes tuning his guitar, what the hell was wrong with that top string?
Fortunately The Belairs played their usual lively and entertaining set afterwards and actually seemed to enjoy the experience.
Knuckleheads is not the venue for diva's, maybe he should stick to venues like Lincoln center where a special artiste such as Mr. Souther can get the respect he so obviosly feels he deserves.

[jhnycat]

Sounds like a bitter, arrogant jerk wad with a "certain sense of regret", which he generously shared with his audience, leaving everyone forlorn, classic. Sorry I missed that one.

[Darrell]

Sorry I missed this. Sometimes people are so convinced of their own self-worth that they feel obliged to share that knowledge with others. Moments like that are special.

If the venue was truly beneath him he shouldn't have hired a management team who would sign a contract obliging him to work there. It's not like he hasn't been around the block a time or two and doesn't know what the touring life is like. After a visit like this he'll be lucky to sell that many tickets around here again.

[gsp]

I guess we know why he never quite hit the big time.

[J.R, Musick]

deep breathe everybody. Even singer/songwriter's get old and crotchety

[J.J.]

I may be mistaken, but hasn't he played Knuck's before?

[Country Jesus]

Yeah JJ he's played there before - so he knows all about the environment at Knuckleheads. I didn't get the feeling that he thought playing there was beneath him. I thought he was merely drawing the contrast between our loveable ramshackle jukejoint and the Lincoln Center. His point that he draws more on the coast than in the midwest is his honest observation and probably true. Better for us to see him in an intimate environment. Maybe the joke about the encore was off color but it rings true - half the time I wish artist would acknowledge that they will use the time during the encore applause to play another song. Encores are more cliche that earned anymore so it seems. He stayed after the show and signed autographs and apologized for the delay at the beginning. Chances are there is a clause in the contract that the piano is properly tuned beforehand and it just didn't get done. I missed the part where he said the accomadations were inferior. Musically the show was good, his voice sounded pretty good for a guy in his late 60's. Yeah ok so some of his jokes were a little off-color (god forbid I hear an off color remark in a motorcycle juke joint in the east bottoms)and yeah there was a little tension in the air but the show ended up being pretty good. A side note - the Bel Airs played afterward and I've never seen these guys put on a bad show in the 26 years I've been watching them - a Missouri treasure.

[Green]

To bad he didn't like the place, maybe the tuning thing put him in a bad mood for the night. I think there are bands out there that would love to come across a venue like Knuckleheads. To be able to see every face in the place, be able to connect with the audience, it's something that is lost in the large venues. It's part of touring though, some nights are amazing and others are a drag.

[Clint]

Beaumont Club was sold out Sat night for Randy Rogers Band...how many people are there when it is considered a sell out? 1000? Just curious.

[pellboy]

Not sure, Clint. I would think the sell-out numbers might be different for an outdoor show as opposed to an in-door one.

[JayC]

I only know JD from a few of his Eagle's collaborations but "The Sad Cafe" is one of my all time Eagle's songs.

[DT]

LOL, this ahole should try playing the dump / crossrodskc this summer... He obviously has the talents for "the campaign", he just referring to the wrong venue.

btw-
I dont know if I have ever mentioned it, or not, but I think the crossraodskc is the worst place to hold a concert on the planet.

That dump has so many problems from smelly porta potties to wood chips for flooring and to over charge for drinks served by waitresses with sever body odor.... crossrodskc just does not care about paying customers, they dont even try....

ON THE OTHER HAND... Knuckleheads has made many many improvements over the years.

Like the Uptown, Midland and Voodoo lounge, Knucklehads is a great place for a show, albiet kind of out of the way.... but...

BUT... for a nobody like JD to blather on and on about how he is above it all... well... the proof is in the pudding...

His low ticket sales show who/what he is, a virtual nobody.... and if he has played there before, then he is just stupid.

JD needs to look in the mirror, there lies the problem.

ps
I am glad they finally tuned that piano, man, I could barely play chopsticks on that thing.

PPS
GOOD MOOOOOORRRRNING KANSAS!!!! CITY!!!

[phast2]

Yeah, the guy was a real a$$hole that night.

[Clint]

Thanks, I am thinking it is around 1000. Okay, back to the issue at hand.

[Geordan]

OK.......Anyway, I saw JD at Knuckleheads when he played the outdoor stage a couple of years ago and it was a good show. He told some fun stories and got some laughs that night. He seemed a bit stand-offish that night, but maybe that's just his style. Coincidentally, he was solo that night and had a guitar he brought with him and was using a piano Knuckleheads provided and he seemed to have problems with it at THAT show! He even mentioned that he would have liked a better piano, but made due with what he was given and it sounded fine to me. Perhaps he's just a perfectionist. Who knows? Maybe he can lug his own piano to venues if it means not having to delay shows, as costly as that would probably be. Anyway, It does sound like this was an strange show.

[Nivek9]

I saw him when he played there a couple of years ago. He played on the outside stage and there wasn't more than 100-150 there that night either. But the piano sounded like crap that night. That was one thing the friend I went to the show with then reminded me of yesterday when we wondered about this show. I'm glad he demanded something be done about it because it really detracted from his music the last time. Although, he was very cordial when I saw him and he seemed to be having a great time. Some people just have off nights.

[Ellen K.]

@Country Jesus

Knuckleheads is NOT a juke joint.

[Judge Jackson]

Sorry Ellen, but you are going to have to elaborate, specify your definitions and then establish why Knuckleheads is not a juke joint. Until such time we will consider it as such.

As far as this JD Lang fella, would some one please tell the full encore joke, I am sure a juke joint like BTR wouldnt mind.

[NEW]

Sorry to hear he was such a jerk. Then again, I've notice many Kansas Citians can be pretty thin skinned when it comes to any sort of criticism about their local venues.

It's probably also worth mentioning that Souther's resume also includes Souther, Hillman and Furay with Chris Hillmand and Richie Furay.

[onthemark]

I always describe Knuckleheads as a honky tonk road house.

[kcmom]

I'm not even sure I know the definition of a "juke joint," but if you have ever heard a commercial for Knuckleheads they use the term in the copy. So they consider themselves a juke joint. Just sayin.'

[pellboy]

Juke joint...road house...all seems about the same to me and I always thought Knucks fit pretty comfortably under either moniker.

[onthemark]

PB and kcmom, exactly. A rose by any other name, right?

[NEW]

Actually, isn't it really just a biker bar? Seems that way to me, especially on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

[Tim Finn]

i was in the back of the room, and when he spoke he wasn't always audible, so i didn't catch every word of the joke. He asked, why is an encore like a C-section? the punchline was something like ... if you don't get one the thing is dead anyway ... or something. i didn't get it. lots of groans and grimaces. then he complained about how little laughter it got, 'jesus f***ing christ,' i' pretty sure he said. maybe someone else can clear it up.

as for being thin-skinned; well. when you drop $35 to see a performer, the least you should expect is some gratitude and grace, especially after sitting through a one-hour tuning session. expressing disappointment over the room and the size of the crowd is classless.

[joe]

NEW can speak for himself better than me, but I always felt the thin skinned members of the crowds in KC were the ones who would get upset at some artist telling the crowd at the Sprint Center how nice it was to be in KS. It's that old KS vs MO thing. Being upset over a classless, ungrateful artist lamenting the size of the crowd to the ones that paid to see him doesn't equate as being thin skinned to me either. Seems like an appropriate response.

[Chuckles]

Thank you very much for the retelling, and yeah, it doesnt make much sense... as you said...

I love bad jokes, more than most, but that one doesnt make sense... oh well.

anyway...
Thank you very much, UDaMAN!! :)

[Bee]

I would descibe Knuckleheads as a great lil music bar in KC. Amust see joint. They seem to care about customers, the prices are good, they draw good acts, and it aint crossroadskc.

Have I ever mentioned here how much I disrepect the way crossroadskc does biz? the horrible way they treat paying customers?

The dump actually appears to hate customers. crossroadskc needs to go away. period. end of story. no more need be said. end of the tale. wonts say another word. unless I do. which I probably will. allrighty then. over and out. see ya later. gotta go. very busy. very busy busy busy.

[Bruce]

Most bands that play Knuckleheads seem to really appreciate the venue and play their hearts out even when the crowds are small.

[kcmom]

Bruce is right. I have seen countless shows at Knuckleheads and have never heard any artist say anything negative about it. The opposite seems to be true...they love playing there, and judging from the acts he books, he must be doing something right. I've met people from the coasts who can't believe the acts I've seen there, often multiple times.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating...for Kansas City-area fans of real, non-corporate, independent music, Knuckleheads is a treasure we are very fortunate to have in our town. Thanks, Frank!

[Big Joe]

"Knuckleheads does everything right." - Eric Sardinas

[I'll agree with you there to a certain extent Tim but it's a Saturday night. Go to the bar, have a drink and catch up with your friends.]

"as for being thin-skinned; well. when you drop $35 to see a performer, the least you should expect is some gratitude and grace, especially after sitting through a one-hour tuning session. expressing disappointment over the room and the size of the crowd is classless."

I'll agree with the last part of that statement for sure Tim but as far as the start time, it's a Saturday night. Go to the bar, have a drink and catch up with your friends. And my thin skinned comment was aimed at people who go berzerk because they have to use a porta john at Grinders, or that a musician who has lived in NJ his whole life does not rank KC at the top of his priorites, or that you may have to wait on line at SC for 20 minutes if you get there a half hour before a show, or that someone called Knucks a juke joint, not at people who cringed at JD Southers jokes and comments. I would have cringed too.

[pellboy]

Agreed, kcmom. I think what those artists appreciate most is that even when the crowds are small at a Knuckleheads show, it's still an enthusiastic audience, one that's knowledgeable of their work and eager to seem them perform. I can't think of many venues that so consistently provide a positive experience for both artist/audience alike.

[NEW]

Sorry, the 3:28 response was from me.

[kclivemusic]

FWIW, JD is traveling with his own sound engineer, who 'tuned' the guitar before the show started. I was fortunate enough to miss the whole quiet time for the piano tuning.

I also saw his show a couple years back. Didn't think much of it then and I was shocked at the quality of his performance this time, and not in a good way.

Just thought I'd mention his own engineer, since this out-of-tune show had nothing to do with the Knuckleheads crew. Just sayin'...

JD may be a fine songwriter but he has no business being on stage.

[Kilby]

"It's probably also worth mentioning that Souther's resume also includes Souther, Hillman and Furay with Chris Hillmand and Richie Furay."

It's also worth mentioning that JD had a recurring role on "Thirtysomething" back in the 80's. If he'll forgive us for Knuckleheads (Which is ridiculous, as it is a musical Mecca of sorts), we'll forgive him for that.

[eddieroot]

Mr. Finn, you seemed to have mellowed out. Didn't you call out Ryan Adams in 2009 for playing a 75 minute set? Where is the hyperbole this time? Remember the comparison of the performer to a penis? The declaration the the performer had shit on his audience? Oh well. see you Wednesday at The Music Hall!

[Green]

Eddieroot, that last Ryan Adams show was so bad, for starters it was a make up date, then you had a short set, long breaks, bad jokes, lack luster performance and then an abrupt ending. I think they were off the stage by 10pm. Tim had every right to call Adams out, hope this time is better. As for J.D. Souther, maybe he shouldn't rent a piano. I recommend the guitar keyboard!

[Melvin]

Last time he played outside and complained several times about the trains. Most groups love the unexpected train horn and work it into the set.
On Saturday he also mentioned the trains again and said something about a passing train followed by a note on the guitar being the "Devil's pause", which I understood even less than the C-section comment.
After about half a dozen very slow songs I had to take a break and went into the T shirt store, only to find several other people doing the same thing.
All in all it was a very flat and lifeless show, with some incomprehensible comments.
Still, I saw the Belairs after Souther, and Zito the night before, who both seemed to enjoy the venue and looked to be enjoying performing.

[Pathaomuel Xithesthies]

Allright, I just gotta know... I dont pay extra especial attention, so I missed this day in class... but I wonder...

Which one of you heathens is...?

""that a musician who has lived in NJ his whole life does not rank KC at the top of his priorites""

I wanna party with you dude.

[jestsher]

Glad I missed this one. Guess I could have made it after the show at KPAC--Parson's Dance--a memorium for arts impresario, Richard Harriman. Sounds like JD and Jimmy Vaughn should hit the road together, since they are "birds of a feather". I luv Knuckleheads and all that it is and isn't. Thanks Frank and Merle. I luv you guys too.

[pellboy]

Please elaborate on Jimmie Vaughn. Have only seen him once since his T-Birds days when he pretty much was Clapton's right hand man at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas several years ago. Like EC, he was nothing short of the consummate pro and accommodating artist that weekend as ego was checked at the door and he played sideman of sorts to a slew of other guitar slingers. Again, just curious as I haven't seen any of his multiple Knuckleheads appearances.

[billy ray's horse]

J D can go back to the coast's and take it up his arse!! Cranky Biatch

[Cracker]

why the long face?

[jhnycat]

Finn is one of the few music reviewers I will even bother to read.
He is usually spot on about a show.

[live music fan]

I hate people who use the phrase "spot on."

[pellboy]

I'm okay with spot on, but while we're on the subject, here's the terms I hate...

People who say "super!"

At the end of the day...

Vetting

That's pretty much it, I think.

[Offspot]

Well, at the end of the day, after much vetting we have concluded that you guys are spot on. Have super day! That pretty much it.

[onthemark]

I hear ya PB. Add the following to the list:

outside the box, synergy, LMAO, chillax, bring to the table, awesome...

Okay offspot, let's see you make a sentence out of those!