Founder of Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt at Lee's 6/17

[TimmyB]

JAY FARRAR

10:40PM HEADLINE SET

LEE'S PALACE-529 BLOOR W

LEGAL AGE 19

THURSDAY JUNE 17, 2004 DRS 9PM

Jay Farrar is a founding member of Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt.

Uncle Tupelo was one of the pioneers of the alternative country movement in the late eighties, early nineties along with The Jayhawks and a few others. The band who covered The Carter Family (the first family of country music) song No Depression even inspired the alt country magazine to be named No Depression.

The founding members were Jay Farrar on guitar vocals, Jeff Tweedy on bass and vocals and Mike Heidorn on drums. After a few albums starting with "No Depression" in 1989 with this line up Mike left. Ken Coomer joined on drums, John Stirrat on bass moving Jeff to guitar and Max Johnson on Steel guitar and banjo. This line up produced their last album "Anodyne" in 1993 before Jay called it quits in 1994 ending the band.

Tweedy went on to great critical and now commerical success with Wilco and took Stirrat, Coomer and Johnston with him. While Farrar reunited with Heidorn and added Jim and Dave Boquist to create Son Volt to less success.

Jay then disbanded Son Volt to go solo in 2001 with his underated album "Sebastopol" with musical guests Gillian Welch and Steve Drodze of the Flaming Lips and members of Superchunk. In 2003 Jay released his sophmore solo effort "Terrior Blues" both albums are on Artemis.

I have missed Son Volt every time they have been to Toronto and Jay the first time he came as a solo artist. After seeing Jay's old band mates Tweedy and Stirrat at bonnaroo this past weekend I am very excited to see this show.

[TimmyB]

I'm leaving for Toronto now and I hope that some of you that are into Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Giant Sand, Calexico, and even The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Neil Young are considering on going tonight because you won't be disappointed.

[TimmyB]

I'm not gone yet I had to drop Rachael of at work and I came back to have a shower and get ready. I'm guessing by the lack of posts that not too many people are interested in this gig tonight.

Either way I'll post a review of it tomorrow, I think you are all missing out on a great artist tonight.

[whiteymuseum]

Jay Farrar is one of the finest. I'll be in Hamilton though attending Despistado at the Underground.

[TimmyB]

Finally I got to see Jay Farrar. I got into Toronto and went to HMV and Sam The Record Man on Yonge Street to pick up the new Jay Farrar live album "Stone, Steel & Bright Lights" (Artemis Records, 2004). I also picked up the latest Poco album "Running Horse" (Drifters Church, 2002) and Chris Hillman and Herb Pederson album "Way Out West" (Back Porch/Virgin, 2002) as next week I'll be seeing Poco and in July I'll be seeing Hillman and Pederson. After I headed up to Bloor and got into Lee's as the doors opened.

I didn't know until I read the NOW that Jay was performing as a duo with Mark Spencer and not with a touring band. At least I was more prepared for a mellow evening of alt country rock.

Here was the setlist from last night:

Start time: 10:47PM

1. ? (Nice start I actually didn't know this one, it was performed by Jay solo acoustic with harmonica)

2. Make It Alright (From Jay Farrar's "Sebastopol", 2001) (Mark Spencer on telecaster)

3. Feel Free (2001)

4. No Rolling Back (From Jay's "Terrior Blues", 2003) (Mark on lap steel)

5. Cahokian (2003) (tele)

6. All Of Your Might (2003)

7. Heart On The Groung (2003)

8. Barstow (lap steel)

9. Damn Shame (2001) (Jay on harp)

10. Driving The View (From Son Volt's "Wide Swing Tremolo", 1998) (tele)

11. Vitamins (2001)

12. Feed Kill Chain (2001)

13. California (2003)

14. Voodoo Candle (2001)

15. Straightface (1998)

Encore: 16. Tear-Straind Eye (from Son Volt's "Trace", 1995) (Jay solo with harp)

17. Doesn't Have To Be This Way (from Jay's "Stone, Steel & Bright Lights", 2004)

18. Windfall (1995)

Encore 2: 19. Love You To (George Harrison song on The Beatles "Revolver", 1966) (both Jay and Mark on acoustic guitars)

Set ends: 12:07AM (1 hour and 20 minutes)

I didn't get a cover of Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane" like I had hoped, but with The Beatles cover I can't complain. What a great track to pick not only because it's a great tune, it is also as obscure of a selection as you could expect to hear from someone covering the Beatles. I had seen up to tonight thirty acts cover twenty-five Beatles songs and now it is thirty-one with twenty-six songs.

Mark Spencer added so much to the gig with amazing solos through out every track, especially when he was on lap steel.

It was a really nice show with a great vibe, and I'll be looking forward to seeing Jay Farrar again soon (Hopefully in Son Volt).

[TimmyB]

I just discovered that Shannon Lyon was the artist that I saw open for Jay Farrar last night. My girlfriend Rachael and MarcO have been pushing me to give him a shot for the last while, and now after seeing him I think I will.

From his album "Wandered" (Inbetween Records, 2003) he performed "You Showed Me How", "Since I'm Loving You", "Barcelona" and maybe a couple of more, I'd have to listen to the album again.

Lyon also said how he already had a ticket for the Jay Farrar show before he got a late call to open the gig. He then said "I guess I would have been at this gig anyway."

Five songs into Jay Farrar's set he asked how we were doing and mentioned since he had just played New Zealand and Austrailia he is calling they were calling this the Commonwealth tour. He then said "What do you for the Commonwealth? Throw a big party? Well you should."

[MarcO]

Cool, sounds like a great night! Shannon Lyon is a great songwriter, and a nice guy taboot taboot.

If I ever won the lottery I'd be joining you on a lot of these gigs for sure!!

[TimmyB]

I just discovered through the helpful people at www.jayfarrar.net that the opener of the Jay Farrar Lee's Palace gig was "Greenwich Time". I didn't know this song as I didn't have his EP "ThirdShiftGrottoSlack" (Artemis, 2002). Though I do now as I picked it up last night before the show at Sonic Boom on Bloor.

It also appears on his new live album "Stone, Steel & Bright Lights" (Artemis, 2004), which I picked up at Sam The Record Man. So I guess I'll know the song the next time I see him play it.