Greg Brown, Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, Saturday, Oct.
20, 2007. 7:00 show.

1. Scarlett Ribbons (by Jack Segal & Evelyn Danzig
Recorded by Harry Belafonte, 1956)
2. Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash)
3. Louisiana (Randy Newman)
4. The Late John Garfield Blues (John Prine)
5. Every Since the World Ended (Mose Allison)
6. Mose Allison Played Here
7. Oily Boys
8. A Wish I had a Little You
9. A song by Son House (can’t remember the name)
10. He Looked Down (Iris Dement
Encore: Kokomo

The order may not be exaclty right, and I may have missed one or two
covers. It was a great show even though it was the most covers I’ve
ever heard Greg play. Only four Greg tunes in the whole show!
I’m always thankful Greg still comes to Chicago once a year. A bit
earlier this year than the past few, when he has played in December.
And always at what I consider the best venue in Chicago, the Old Town
School of Folk Music, a great intimate place that seats a few
hundred, and I was lukcy enough to be in the front row.
This was the first solo show he has done in Chicago in a few years.
Usually Bo has been with him, and one year Dave Zollo as well.
Perhaps because he was alone he was more talkative than in his past
few Chicago shows, and that was very welcome as he was in fine form,
his stories as funny as ever.
It’s an unseasonably warm weekend in Chicago, more like mid-September
than late October. So Greg wore an old suit vest with no shirt. No
hat, and of course dark glasses.
I’m always amazed by his guitar work. He has a very unique style. At
times he seems to be pounding the stings with his thumb percusively,
and then without missing a beat he can sound like he has a flat pick
bringing out crisp notes, and then he’ll throw in a little finger
picking. His guitar playing doesn’t amaze in a flashy way, like Bruce
Cockburn, for example, who I love to watch but have no clue what he
is doing. Greg amazes by being very good at what he does and having
his guitar playing perfectly compliment his songs and voice. I can
mostly tell what he is doing; it’s just a good ways beyond my own
ability.
Despite only hearing four Greg songs, for my money this was one of
his best shows in Chicago in the last several years. It was,
unfortunately, short. There was another show at 10:00, and the early
show was just under 90 minutes. I’d be curious to hear if anyone was
at the late show is he did as many covers or more of his own tunes.
It’s been about 30 years since I first heard Greg sing, and I’m
thankful he’s still out there doing it. It’s one of the joys and
blessings that brings continuity to life.

John



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