Music Blog

A strong line-up on a cool August evening brought a large crowd to Mississippi Studios on Saturday. Although there haven't been many badges in clear sight, the quality of the performers have led to good draws for the inaugural Portland Folk Festival. The strong showing on stage and good vibes from the audience gave Saturday's performance the aura of a festival beginning to find its identity.

Damien Jurado was the official headliner, but it was a toss-up between Dolorean and Dan Bern for who stole the show. Dolorean singer Al James led his stellar band through a set that reflected Being There-era Wilco. The raw emotion in James’s voice was precisely balanced by the band’s rustic rock n’ roll accompaniment. In standouts “Heather Remind Me How This Ends” and “The Unfazed”, you could feel the heartache in James’s songwriting. It was a moving performance. The band’s funny stage banter made this all only a little confusing.

 

A master of stage banter, Dan Bern, followed with an hour-long set that shifted swiftly from political satire to love ballad to Beatles impressions. As I watched from the rafters of the venue, it was amazing to see how Bern was in complete control of his audience. “Talkin’ Tea Party Blues” and the melancholy “Black Tornado” represent polar opposites in Bern’s repertoire. But he ran through them with the same precise energy and his audience provided their unwavering attention.

 

After all this excitement, Damien Jurado was just a tad too downbeat.  He even acknowledged this at the beginning of his set saying, “I am the opposite of Dan Bern. I am not funny and all my songs are sad.” One could imagine a different order having benefitted the energy of the audience and performer. But despite all this, Jurado played beautifully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though Dolorean may have played the most captivating set, Dan Bern provided the night’s thesis. In "Black Tornado" he sang, “If you judge me tonight, judge me by my songs."

Tagged: live review