Words and Photos by Aaron Richter
The Artist: Bill Callahan
His Latest Release: Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle (Drag City)
10 Reasons Why We’d Pay to See Him Again:
• He’s writing some of the finest, most heart-wrenchingly dynamic music of his career. Who’d have thought “All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beasts” and “Too Many Birds” could come across so gripping and powerful?
• He still plays Smog songs. The set included career highlights “Bathysphere,” “Rock Bottom Riser,” “Cold Blooded Old Times,” “Say Valley Maker” and ended with “Let Me See the Colts.”
• He didn’t play “The Well.” And we’d really like to hear that one live again.
• He can rock a chest-bearing chambray shirt like a motherfucker.
• Every time we see him, we discover new songs from his deep back catalog. On Sunday he performed a somber cut from Smog’s Rock Bottom Riser EP called “Bowery.” Download it here.
• He performs barefoot.
• His voice is gargantuan and comforting yet all-together terrifying, pure unintentional intimidation. His presence left the audience nervous and on edge, silencing anyone who dared call out a request with vicious shhhs though as to avoid upsetting the artist. Not that he would have cared.
• Every once in a while, he does a little jig onstage—whether it’s stepping in place or a crooked bow-legged bounce.
• He’s looks like a good cuddler. And the more we show up to his shows, the more likely we can make him our boyfriend.
• And then he’d probably write a song about us—in which a hyacinth bush is a metaphor for our love.
[Bill Callahan in all his man-crushable amazingness.]
[Sir Richard Bishop opened the show and performed with a tambourine girl who sat on the stage.]
