I had been wanting to see the original Honky Tonk Hero, Mr. Billy Joe Shaver for years. He's played at Knuckleheads in Kansas City through the years and occasionally in St. Louis, but couldn't figure out why not in Columbia, with its huge contingent of rednecks and redneck posers. When the Blue Note posted that Mr. Shaver was coming, I was there in a heartbeat.
I wound up having to eat a ticket, as my old man was able to get in the fields and my brother had to work. But, oh well. I got there right when doors were to open, but they were already open. After taking a piss I wandered in to find a pretty desolate club. I stood for a while, then said screw it and sat at a table through the opening act.
Mercer and Johnson, a local duo played 13 songs over 50 minutes. They were interesting with a few catchy songs. They consisted of one member playing electric bass and the other alternating between acoustic guitar and mandolin, so they had a different sound and appearance. Steve Earle would be the artist they remind me of sound wise the most. A combination of country, blues, rock and bluegrass. And I guess I could have saw them in my neck of the woods in New London. They were enjoyable and a nice primer.
After they cleared the stage and another piss break, I decided to make my way toward the stage and there were more people(younger ones at that too) congregating up front as well. At first I counted about 20 to 30 people while the opening act was playing, but I'd say there was probably close to a hundred by the time Billy Joe took to the stage at about 8:20 or so. Still it should have a been a larger crowd to see this living legend, but it was a Sunday night and all the college kids are gone for the summer. But it does make me glad to know Columbia has some people with good musical taste and knowledge. And they're not all into bigger name or people who get on the radio, or just wanting to reason to get drunk in public.
The early part of his set was dominated by a lot by higher energy songs, which for being a man in his 70's, Shaver is spry and wiry. He was active and energetic with motions throughout the night. And the early part was dominated by some of his more well known songs.
A couple of the highlights for me were early. That's What She Said Last Night, a hilarious song filled with double entendres and dealing with technology and phones ("You just can't satisfy women these days, they want it bigger and bigger...some even like the black models.") Shaver told us it was the hardest and worst song he's ever wrote.
Then Wacko from Waco,which he wrote to tell the correct story on what happened on why he'd shot a man a few years back ("I shot him right between the mother and the fucker."), as compared to the song Dale Watson wrote, Where Do You Want It? "He wrote that before I'd even went to turn myself in the next day and was on the phone telling me about it. And the prosecutor was using it court as part of my motive against me!" Shaver told us.
I'm not sure on the exact order of the set list on a few songs, but these are the ones he played. I noticed it was very similar to his Live at Billy Bobs live album with his opening ten songs or so.
Set List
Heart of Texas
Georgia On a Fast Train
Honky Tonk Heroes
That's What She Said Last Night
Black Rose
Wacko from Waco
I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)
When Fallen Angels Fly
Star in My Heart
Live Forever
Thunderbird
Hottest Thing in Town
Love Is So Sweet
Sweet Mama
Ride Me Down Easy
Freedom's Child
I Couldn't Be Me Without You
The Git Go
Honey Bee
You Wouldn't Know Love If You Fell In It
Woman is the Wonder of the World
Bottom Dollar
Try and Try Again
You Just Can't Beat Jesus Christ
The song Thunderbird featured a brief break for Billy Joe and his guitarists, while his drummer played a five minute solo or so. Shaver picked up a Red Bull for us all to see. The three piece backing band was very tight. And the best part was they were overtly raucously loud. Standing right next to one of the speakers for almost two hours, I had very little hearing loss.
Throughout the night, Billy Joe gave us backgrounds on the songs, as well as important meanings and things to him. Towards the end when he was talking about God and how you can do anything with Him and He can make you better at what you do, he added, "If you're an asshole, He'll make you a better asshole." Hilarious.
After Woman is the Wonder of the World, he added, "It's true they are the wonder of the world. We put them up on a pedestal and what do you get? Bottom Dollar," with a sly grin.
The only real surprise was that he didn't play You Ask Me Too or Old Five and Dimers Like Me, two of more well known songs.
Before the last song, someone handed him a piece of paper with a request, he opened and looked at it and said he'd think about it, but he had to do one for his hero, in You Just Can't Beat Jesus Christ.
After he said his goodbye he mentioned he'd be out front signing whatever. I waited a few minutes to go up front, and waited a few more in line. A bigger guy waiting was mentioning that he might get a restraining order against him, as he'd seen Shaver in Kansas City the night before and was going to St. Louis the next night. Then mentioned he had to give a thong, I'm assuming Billy Joe Shaver on, to his 19 year old daughter, to which Billy Joe put his hand up to his ear jokingly. I was thinking about buying his book, but ended up just having him sign my ticket(benefits and drawbacks to using print at home vs an actual ticket) and shaking his hand.
This was a really great show, by great performer. It's probably muscled its way into one of the best I've been to consideration. It's amazing though how people can't fill up the Blue Note to see a legendary figure in Country music, but yet they'll fill up Mizzou Arena for whatever ass clown of the era comes to town...
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