I went and saw Jackson Browne with David Lindley at the Fox Theater in St. Louis last night with the old man. It was sort of a hit and miss affair overall, or lack of hits to be precise.
The show was scheduled to start at 7:30, but didn't get going til about quarter after. At the beginning it was just Browne and Lindley, the stringed instrument virtuoso for the first five songs then, Lindley by himself for a couple this was about 50 minutes total. They opened with a Warren Zevon cover followed by Springsteen cover, both were well done. And Lindley was masterful in his playing. I wish I was a bit closer to the stage. We were about 20 rows back tilted right. After Browne left and Lindley performed two songs, the second of which when he started I thought was sounding like Steve Earle's Copperhead Road, which it turned out to be. Another good version and Lindley does have a nice voice as well. Come to think of it, Lindley sort of looks like Earle these days as well and Earle plays the bouzouki too, when I saw him last fall. Then came a fifteen minute break, in which Browne returned with a full band for around an hour and forty minutes worth of songs.
Here's the overall set list, as best I can piece together. I couldn't find an exact total list, but pieced together from the Post Dispatch's Review and from the KC Star's review of the Kansas City show, which did have a review.
Seminole Bingo
Brothers Under the Bridge
For Everyman
Looking East
Our Lady of the Well
What Is the Soul of a Man?
Copperhead Road
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Off of Wonderland
Giving That Heaven Away
Just Say Yeah
In the Shape of a Heart
Your Bright Baby Blues
Fountain of Sorrow
The Pretender
For A Dancer
My Problem Is You
Too Many Angels
I'm Alive
Doctor My Eyes
Rock Me on the Water
Running on Empty
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Mercury Blues
I Am Patriot
I would have been happy with songs between just Browne and Lindley acoustically, but I know it was about to put dad to sleep. Heck I was too after the first couple of songs with his band. It's not that they were preformed bad, but I'm more of a casual fan. So, I was waiting for more familiar songs with long gaps between In the Shape of a Heart and The Pretender. And I think the rest of audience as well, there were all kind of beer runs and lots of lots of chatter I heard throughout. I'm probably not enough of a moderate Browne fan to enjoy his so-so known songs...
Browne did mention how he'd always loved St. Louis and tried to remember where they used to play before the Fox and I think someone shouted out Kiel Auditorium, which jogged his memory. He had a little banter, talking about songs and their inspirations in the first few in the electric set.
The energy finally picked up on the last three songs in the main set, which got the crowd on its feet. There were catcalls all night with song requests, which Browne continuously replied "We'll get to that one later," whether they did or not. I knew not to expect all of his hits Somebody's Baby, Take It Easy (which he did play in KC), Boulevard, but I most expected to hear The Load Out/Stay, with Lindley on tour with him. Lindley is the one who has the high falsetto voice on the original recording. That was probably the most disappointing thing for me and the song I was most looking forward to hearing. Oh, those singer/songwriters....
Though it had a period of lull, it was enjoyable by the end. For his age, Browne still has a great sounding voice and an attitude that he actually enjoys being there playing for people.
ADDENDUM: The Riverfront Times Blog, had a review and set list which confirmed the order of what I had. Their reviewer had similar thoughts to mine, that the real enjoyment was watching Browne and Lindley up there alone. Except for a few moments, when Lindley joined the band a lot of his playing was lost in the mix and more subtle.
