Gary onstage w/ his new bandmates Vetiver :Vetiver is a mighty fine band - And, resident cellist, Alissa Anderson, is not only a splendid musician but also human be-ing...
Gary Louris (w/ Vetiver) at Mr. Small's Theatre 3/29/08
The first time I met Gary was at the old Graffiti venue when he was w/ Golden Smog and on tour to support the release of Down by the Old Mainstream in 1996. And, then I met Gary again in 1997 or 1998 at Rosebud during his twenty year stint w/ the Jayhawks for the Sound of Lies
I also was at Rosebud in 2003 & 2004 in support of the Jayhawk's Rainy Day Music produced by Rick Rubin ...
Gary is has an aura surrounding him that spins like the sordid fables in twilight in one of his songs or from his actual life as a rocker who's always doin' it.
As he mentioned from the stage of Mr. Small's, "I'm just a guy who writes these songs. Well... I guess then to make my living I have to go out and play them."
The nonchalant rocker attitude and persona that Gary exudes is why I dig him and am happy every time he releases a new album (in whatever band/project) and comes around.
Not only can Gary beautifully play acoustic six-string guitar and the harmonica but he can also tear-up one of his favorite six-strings in his bug collection like it's nobody's business but his.
As for Gary's voice = he has a very, certain, unique voice. He can hit notes that warrant the tightest denim jean jokes as demonstrated in the popular Jayhawks song "Blue" off of Tomorrow the Green Grass
Songs at Mr. Smalls included easy new found favorites off of Vagabonds such as, True Blue; To Die a Happy Man; She Only Calls Me on Sundays, I Wanna Get High; Vagabonds (and honestly I think he played everything off of it).
From Tomorrow the Green Grass he played: Blue; I'd Run Away; See Him on the Street; Pray for Me
From Hollywood Town Hall: Waiting for the Sun
From Rainy Day Music: Stumbling Through the Dark; You Look So Young; Tailspin; One Man's Problem; Angelyne
From Smile: Better Days
And off the Sound of Lies of course he played "the Pittsburgh song" even though he said that he hadn't rehearsed it in a while and didn't expect to play it but, like a champ and in the mood, to the delight of the crowd he broke out Haywire by himself on his six-string acoustic electric guitar - And from the Sound of Lies he also played the title track Sound of Lies
From Golden Smog he played Listen Joe off of Another Fine Day and closed with the Weird Tales tune Until You Came Along
Wow, I don't plug to0 many people like this but as you can see I was inspired by Gary Louris - In fact so much so that I closed down a bar by Small's and jammed on bass w/ San Diego Chris on drums until the Sun came-up and made another fine day ...
Best of the Roses, John French mystrawhat.com myspace.com/mosshead7
P.S. Gary and I even talked about "everyday media" and he mentioned who he thinks has the "hot" on-air personalities on its station's broadcasts
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