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Sam at Linneman's - 2/6/16
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hedgehog42
Feb 8, 2016, 11:49:50 AM2/8/16
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Testing, testing-- is this thing on?
Been much too long since the stars aligned to let me catch Sam Llanas at Linneman's and a birthday show? Even longer. His shows I'd seen elsewhere -- Summerfest, Tosafest, a few openers -- were fine for what they were, but just couldn't come close to a proper show.
And this was a proper show. Started a little after 8, with Sam solo for close to an hour, then joined after a 10-minute break by Sean Williamson on electric guitar and occasionally on a CUSTOM lap steel, as Sam made sure to emphasize, followed by a 2-song solo encore, ending just about 11. (His drummer recently moved to California; his Facebook page indicates he may soon have a new one.) Performing in this format really spotlighted Sean's eloquence in a way that I'd not heard in the full-band shows.
Not jam-packed, but the place was comfortably full, and with people who clearly were there to hear Sam, who figuratively tipped his hat to the "lovely" audience, saying he'd rather play to 10 attentive people than to 1,000 who aren't. (We did number more than 10. I'd guess 70-80?) Sam requested requests several times, and got some excellent choices. He also included some titles requested via Facebook.
Though there was plenty of the "something blue" that I like, and a ton of his songs from the BoDeans years, especially the earlier albums, there was nothing from the Absinthe album played. His medleys have always been interesting -- he'll drop a verse from another artist's song into one of his songs -- and a 2014 interview confirms that's actually part of his songwriting process. He'll start playing a standard and then use the chords and go off in a different direction with melody, singing jibberish until he hits on a word or phrase that fits to build a lyric on. This makes so much sense in light of his past shows, especially those played as part of a series.
Sam mentioned he'd been playing birthday shows at Linneman's for more than 15 years, and reminisced about meeting Jim. He'd just moved across the street in 1992, he said, and had never been in Linneman's, but had noticed it. One day, Jim saw him, recognized him and called him over, and he soon after started playing there. "Over the bar!" someone called out, and he grinned, saying "Yeah, sometimes I wish that little stage was still there." Linneman's is a special place, he said -- and while there are many place he's played that he'd never play again, this is a club he always wants to return to.
In all, a most satisfying evening. As Bon Jovi says, "Who says you can't go home?"
Setlist
SOLO:
[Note: Solo set was reconstructed by memory during the break, with help from Heike, because I couldn't find any paper initially -- missed you, Mr. Mark! So these aren't in order, except the opener.]
The Other Side/Pretty Ghost/Black, White & Blood Red/Radar Love ("Late at night, this can go on for hours!")
Rio (Partial "because I know you came a long way", in response to Heike's request. He noted that this song has never been included on any releases)
Two Souls ("This song is a weird mix of James Brown and Joni Mitchell. It's the chords from a James Brown song, "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" and something Joni said about love being souls touching)
Dangerous Love
Hey Pretty Girl ("This was from a time when I wanted everything to be really, really simple. With this one, maybe I oversimplified!")
Slipping Into You
What It Feel Like
Something's Telling Me
Going Home
No One
What Would I Do (Terry & Terry) (Huge cheer, at the beginning and as the lyric hit every Waukesha reference)
Looking For Me Somewhere
Jolene (intro with recollection of how, growing up, he dismissed his dad's playing of Hank William, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and other country artists, and now realizes his dad was "genius" for introducing him to the type of country he still likes today. Didn't shout-out to Dolly Parton, but then, he's been covering this, on and off, for at least 15 years, so....]
SECOND SET - with Sean Williamson
[in order]
Brand New
True Devotion
Still the Night/Angel of the Morning (sweet, yearning, slowed tempo. Sam wanted to be sure we knew Angel was originally performed by Merrilee Rush, not Juice Newton)
617
Heart of Miracle (Sam: I wrote this Thanksgiving 1984 -- I wanted to write something that felt like a Thanksgiving song. Sean deadpan: I was 2)
Shyne
Say About Love
Far Far Away From My Heart
Wicked Game--Chris Isaak (partial because same chords as...)
Deja Vu
Misery/Sylvia
She's a Runaway
Naked
Closer to Free
ENCORE (Sam solo)
Walking After Midnight - Patsy Cline
I'm in Trouble Again/Stolen Car--Bruce Springsteen medley (Intro'd with "One more, for me. People always ask what's my favorite song that I wrote, and this would have to be right up there")
Been much too long since the stars aligned to let me catch Sam Llanas at Linneman's and a birthday show? Even longer. His shows I'd seen elsewhere -- Summerfest, Tosafest, a few openers -- were fine for what they were, but just couldn't come close to a proper show.
And this was a proper show. Started a little after 8, with Sam solo for close to an hour, then joined after a 10-minute break by Sean Williamson on electric guitar and occasionally on a CUSTOM lap steel, as Sam made sure to emphasize, followed by a 2-song solo encore, ending just about 11. (His drummer recently moved to California; his Facebook page indicates he may soon have a new one.) Performing in this format really spotlighted Sean's eloquence in a way that I'd not heard in the full-band shows.
Not jam-packed, but the place was comfortably full, and with people who clearly were there to hear Sam, who figuratively tipped his hat to the "lovely" audience, saying he'd rather play to 10 attentive people than to 1,000 who aren't. (We did number more than 10. I'd guess 70-80?) Sam requested requests several times, and got some excellent choices. He also included some titles requested via Facebook.
Though there was plenty of the "something blue" that I like, and a ton of his songs from the BoDeans years, especially the earlier albums, there was nothing from the Absinthe album played. His medleys have always been interesting -- he'll drop a verse from another artist's song into one of his songs -- and a 2014 interview confirms that's actually part of his songwriting process. He'll start playing a standard and then use the chords and go off in a different direction with melody, singing jibberish until he hits on a word or phrase that fits to build a lyric on. This makes so much sense in light of his past shows, especially those played as part of a series.
Sam mentioned he'd been playing birthday shows at Linneman's for more than 15 years, and reminisced about meeting Jim. He'd just moved across the street in 1992, he said, and had never been in Linneman's, but had noticed it. One day, Jim saw him, recognized him and called him over, and he soon after started playing there. "Over the bar!" someone called out, and he grinned, saying "Yeah, sometimes I wish that little stage was still there." Linneman's is a special place, he said -- and while there are many place he's played that he'd never play again, this is a club he always wants to return to.
In all, a most satisfying evening. As Bon Jovi says, "Who says you can't go home?"
Setlist
SOLO:
[Note: Solo set was reconstructed by memory during the break, with help from Heike, because I couldn't find any paper initially -- missed you, Mr. Mark! So these aren't in order, except the opener.]
The Other Side/Pretty Ghost/Black, White & Blood Red/Radar Love ("Late at night, this can go on for hours!")
Rio (Partial "because I know you came a long way", in response to Heike's request. He noted that this song has never been included on any releases)
Two Souls ("This song is a weird mix of James Brown and Joni Mitchell. It's the chords from a James Brown song, "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" and something Joni said about love being souls touching)
Dangerous Love
Hey Pretty Girl ("This was from a time when I wanted everything to be really, really simple. With this one, maybe I oversimplified!")
Slipping Into You
What It Feel Like
Something's Telling Me
Going Home
No One
What Would I Do (Terry & Terry) (Huge cheer, at the beginning and as the lyric hit every Waukesha reference)
Looking For Me Somewhere
Jolene (intro with recollection of how, growing up, he dismissed his dad's playing of Hank William, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and other country artists, and now realizes his dad was "genius" for introducing him to the type of country he still likes today. Didn't shout-out to Dolly Parton, but then, he's been covering this, on and off, for at least 15 years, so....]
SECOND SET - with Sean Williamson
[in order]
Brand New
True Devotion
Still the Night/Angel of the Morning (sweet, yearning, slowed tempo. Sam wanted to be sure we knew Angel was originally performed by Merrilee Rush, not Juice Newton)
617
Heart of Miracle (Sam: I wrote this Thanksgiving 1984 -- I wanted to write something that felt like a Thanksgiving song. Sean deadpan: I was 2)
Shyne
Say About Love
Far Far Away From My Heart
Wicked Game--Chris Isaak (partial because same chords as...)
Deja Vu
Misery/Sylvia
She's a Runaway
Naked
Closer to Free
ENCORE (Sam solo)
Walking After Midnight - Patsy Cline
I'm in Trouble Again/Stolen Car--Bruce Springsteen medley (Intro'd with "One more, for me. People always ask what's my favorite song that I wrote, and this would have to be right up there")
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