Gary Louris and Mark Olson @ The Mod Club

Over the last few years, I've witnessed the hyperactive passion that emanates forth from some of the younger up and coming bands in the GTA. Youthful enthusiasm, energetic showmanship and cocky teenage angst all have their place in the world of rock 'n roll, but nothing can compare to the refined confidence and the nothing-to-prove comfortableness that accompanies the performance of a seasoned professional. And when two of such legendary stature as The Jayhawks' principle founding members Gary Louris and Mark Olson take the stage - theatrics, rock 'n roll cliches and a desperate need to impress no longer become necessary. It was this relaxed atmosphere that contributed to making Wednesday night's show at The Mod Club one to remember.

The duo was in town to promote their recent collaboration Ready For The Flood, which was released at the tail end of January. Referring to this as a Jayhawks reunion may have been tempting for some, but it would not have provided an accurate representation of what this show was to provide. This was not a celebratory return to the country-rock stylings of their heyday. This was a laid back, seated affair and although Bazil Donovan (Blue Rodeo), Mike Belitsky and Dallas Good (The Sadies) were all in attendance, they would not be joining the boys on stage for this one. This was Gary and Mark's show, intimate and subdued. They thanked everyone for waiting, and lunged into The Rose Society from the new album, a wispy little number that showcased the beautiful contrast between their two voices. You could here the recognition in people's cheers when they followed that up with Nothing Left To Borrow from 1995's Tomorrow The Green Grass, instantly putting to rest any thoughts that this stripped down showcase was not going to be offering much from Jayhawks past. On the contrary, the show was pretty much divided in half between the old and the new. Not surprisingly, there was not a note to be heard from the Olson-less poppier mid period of The Jayhawks catalogue, but both TTGG and Hollywood Town Hall were represented well. There were even a couple of Blue Earth tracks thrown in there for good measure.

Other than a few obligatory listens to the tracks streaming on their myspace, I haven't really heard much from the new album at the time of the concert, but a few songs stood out immediately. Bicycle boasted a mild sense of psychedelia, even in this acoustic setting, and Saturday Morning On Sunday Street was a folksy Simon & Garfunkel type of tune. They even included a new song in the encore, namely The Trap's Been Set, which contains the line that is used for the title of the album, and it has an instantly classic feel to it. In fact, the way it was presented at the show made me wonder if it was a classic Jayhawks song that I didn't recognize. The harmonies were spectacular, with their weathered voices having only improved with time. Also notable is Gary Louris' guitar work, showing that he can still pick with the best of them. Some of the other highlights were Two Hearts, Over My Shoulder and Martin's Song, which is another one of their really old cuts. And of course the show ended with Blue, a song that easily fits into my elite list of songs that I've heard a billion times but never seem to tire of. The awesome bridge section of the song sounded especially powerful, and to say it was chill inducing to see Gary and Mark together again singing that part in particular, would be an understatement, to say the least.

These days my attention span isn't what it used to be, so to be able to command my attention for an hour and a half with an acoustic set is no ordinary task. But of course, Gary Louris and Mark Olson are no ordinary performers and this was certainly one for the concert memory books.

Setlist: The Rose Society /Nothing Left to Borrow /Bicycle /Bloody Hands /Turn Your Pretty Name Around /Two Angels /Say You'll Be Mine /Saturday Morning On Sunday Street /Chamberlain, SD /Two Hearts /Sister Cry /Black Eyes /Doves and Stones /Over My Shoulder /Waiting for the Sun /When the Wind Comes Up /Life's Warm Sheets /Settled Down Like Rain /Encore: See Him On the Street /Martin's Song /The Trap's Been Set /Blue.

Eye Weekly also has a review of the show over here.

Louris and Olson left Toronto and headed on down to the David Letterman show the very next night. You can watch it over on youtube.

Photos: My shots from the show are on flickr.
Myspace: Gary Louris
Myspace: Mark Olson
Myspace: Ready For The Flood