Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch really outdid themselves this time around, assembling a legendary backing band including John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin on mandolin, Paul Kowert of Punch Brothers on bass, and Willie Watson of Old Crow Medicine Show on guitar, banjo, and fiddle to augment Gillian and Dave’s usual guitar duo. This “machine” had only been a band for “a little over forty eight hours” by the time they stopped at Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse, and after the first two songs—covers of Bob Dylan’s “Minstrel Boy” and the traditional “Hot Corn, Cold Corn”—they sure seemed like a band that had been together for only two days. This was especially evident in their first set; a song would end and would be followed by a longer-than-average time to discuss what to play next, pick a song, and tune their instruments. This wasn’t necessarily a negative as it led to a relaxed atmosphere that felt highly spontaneous and off-the-cuff. By the midway point of the first set though, the machine really started humming along.
In contrast to the last time I saw Gillian and Dave—back in 2011 in support of Gillian’s The Harrow & The Harvest—this year’s show was not executed to the same level of perfection; a difficult feat to say the least. This being said, the show was still a real treat. Gillian Welch was brilliant as always, comfortable with letting the spotlight drift to her longtime musical partner while still complementing and playing off of him. Dave’s guitar playing truly stole the night as he showed a mastery of both time and melody; on Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer,” Dave’s guitar playing took the acoustic-folk audience on a sensational jam band journey. Willie Watson’s wonderfully nasal voice on Leadbelly’s classic “Stewball,” Charley Jordan’s “Keep It Clean,” and the traditional “Dry Bones” were refreshing. Paul Kowert’s down-to-business bass playing fit well with the band, as did his lovely bass voice on the Bill Monroe tune “He Will Set Your Fields On Fire,” which really got the audience excited.
Midway through the second set, a man in the audience yelled “THAT’S F*CKIN’ JOHN PAUL JONES!” as the crowd roared its approval and John Paul Jones grinned sheepishly at his adoring fans. When Jones launched into what may the most heard mandolin line of all time—“Going to California” from Led Zeppelin’s fourth album—against the droning picking pattern of the band, the collective breath of the audience was taken away.
Overall, it was very special to share a few short hours with such immense talent in a small venue like the Variety Playhouse. Even with the evident lack of preparation, the show was filled with many pleasant surprises as well as more than a few moments of genius. Because of the intimate setting, the acoustic instrumentation, and the cover-heavy setlist, it felt as if we were spending a glorious evening in Dave and Gillian’s own living room, hanging out with some of their buddies.
-rob dunn
In contrast to the last time I saw Gillian and Dave—back in 2011 in support of Gillian’s The Harrow & The Harvest—this year’s show was not executed to the same level of perfection; a difficult feat to say the least. This being said, the show was still a real treat. Gillian Welch was brilliant as always, comfortable with letting the spotlight drift to her longtime musical partner while still complementing and playing off of him. Dave’s guitar playing truly stole the night as he showed a mastery of both time and melody; on Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer,” Dave’s guitar playing took the acoustic-folk audience on a sensational jam band journey. Willie Watson’s wonderfully nasal voice on Leadbelly’s classic “Stewball,” Charley Jordan’s “Keep It Clean,” and the traditional “Dry Bones” were refreshing. Paul Kowert’s down-to-business bass playing fit well with the band, as did his lovely bass voice on the Bill Monroe tune “He Will Set Your Fields On Fire,” which really got the audience excited.
Midway through the second set, a man in the audience yelled “THAT’S F*CKIN’ JOHN PAUL JONES!” as the crowd roared its approval and John Paul Jones grinned sheepishly at his adoring fans. When Jones launched into what may the most heard mandolin line of all time—“Going to California” from Led Zeppelin’s fourth album—against the droning picking pattern of the band, the collective breath of the audience was taken away.
Overall, it was very special to share a few short hours with such immense talent in a small venue like the Variety Playhouse. Even with the evident lack of preparation, the show was filled with many pleasant surprises as well as more than a few moments of genius. Because of the intimate setting, the acoustic instrumentation, and the cover-heavy setlist, it felt as if we were spending a glorious evening in Dave and Gillian’s own living room, hanging out with some of their buddies.
-rob dunn
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