The Old 97's may be the quintessential alt-country band. From the boozy desperation of Uncle Tupelo to the nuanced nostalgia of The Jayhawks to the pop aspirations of Ryan Adams, the Old 97's run the gamut of alt-country sensibilities. On top of that, they're just a good, good band, and Fight Songs, their 1999 bid to break it big, is one of the best albums to carry the alt-country tag. So when I was offered the chance to see them for free in Raleigh's Moore Square last night, I took that opportunity. I'm glad I did.
I must admit to having lost track of the Old '97s over the past few years, but what Rhett Miller and company brought to downtown Raleigh last night was just as urgent, rollicking, and raw as I remember them being in the early '00s when I first encountered them. In fact, they reminded me just how much their brand of whiskey-soaked barroom country rock is missing from modern country music. Sure Toby Keith and company wax nostalgic about the small town bar with its small town bar band, but they play big fucking stadiums and suck (mostly). The Old '97s are the real deal, and they're good.
Unfortunately, I wasn't seeing the Old 97's in a smoky bar. I was seeing them in a public park with homeless people, tree-climbing kids, hippies, and literally thousands of beer guzzling 20-somethings wearing novelty t-shirts advertising how much beer they drink. Oh, it wasn't so bad. The night was cool, there was a breeze, and the show was free. The band played songs I already loved and a few that have convinced me to check out their new album. This isn't the nostalgia act that usually plays shows like this. This is a real, relevant band. Props to the folks who put the show on for inviting a band the audience can enjoy before the encore. A good night was had by all.
photo credit: vsmoothe/flickr (from an earlier show)
