RIP Michael Been

[ericcoleman]

This one hurts, a lot. He is one of my favorite songwriters and so far beyond one of my favorite singers. The twice I got to see them play continue to live amongst my favorite concerts. RIP Michael Been.

Comments

My review of a show

[ericcoleman]

Call in Iowa City 3/29/98
Here are some notes before and then my comments from after the show ...
So from all appearances it looks like we are in for an acoustic show. They are setting up stools and the drum set seems pretty minimal. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I was hoping for an electric show. But we'll see. It looks like no keyboards, which also does not bode for good things. That means that there are several things that we probably won't hear tonight. The idea of The Call as a power trio is kind of amusing. Especially seeing as how Michael Been tends to get carried away and frequently forgets to play the bass.
So enough speculation. The Actual Show
It was three members. Tom, Michael, and Scott. Electric guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Drums. I was very worried about there being no keyboards but I shouldn't have been. The sound was as lush as one expects from a Call show. Michael amazes me. He was playing acoustic guitar yet he managed to fill in the sound with both the middle and the bass as well as tossing of some really fine solos. The rest of the band watches him and takes all of their cues off him. He goes off on a tangent (rarely on this show, really only on the first song) and they follow. When I saw them some years ago I accused him of musical Tourette's Syndrome and I was very worried when he went off on a very long tangent during Everywhere I Go. But the rest of the set was rock solid and rocked like a demon (an odd phrase for a band as concerned with faith as this bunch).
Judging from the lyrics on the new album (haven't heard it yet but I took a look at the lyric sheet) Michael's songs are going further and further inward. And the live show was very introverted. Tom was the only one who really spoke to the audience. Michael said a couple of words here and there. But mostly just played and sang in that glorious voice. And what a voice. They did my favorite Call song Into The Woods. And when he hit the high notes ... WOW!
Here is the set list: Everywhere I Go, You Run, What Happened to You, Tell Me What You've Seen?, All You Hold On To, Into The Woods, Heartbroken, In The River, I Still Believe, Let The Day Begin, Walls Came Down
A good set of classic material and three new songs that (with one exception) were as good as the old stuff. It is great to have these guys back. Met them all afterwards and got all my stuff signed. I walked up to Tom and handed him all the CD sleeves and he held them up to Scott and said "We've got one of these!" I told him that I had all the vinyl too. I have met a lot of bands (It's hell being shy) and I think that I have never met anyone more gracious than Tom Ferrier.