photos and words by Andrew Norman
Number one rule for journalists covering The Revival Tour: Resist declaring that something was "revived." No crusty, beard-invaded lips cupped the cold gaping mouth of a corpse and blew warm air into its lungs, April 11 at Slowdown Jr. Nothing was dead when Hot Water Music frontman Chuck Ragan's annual pilgrimage parked its big, black bus outside the building. But the crowd did as commanded in Revival Tour member Nathaniel Rateliff's song, "We Never Win": "Like an old-time revival … shake your hands, and shake your hips."
It just took them a while.
When I walked in, I saw Rateliff, Ragan, Cory Branan (longtime Lucero collaborator), Against Me! frontman Tommy Gabel, and Ragan touring partners Jon Gaunt (fiddle) and Joe Ginsberg (standup bass) all on stage together performing one of Gabel's solo songs, "Anna is a Stool Pigeon." A large crowd of well-mannered Midwesterners drank their PBRs and nodded heads approvingly during the opening number, but no one felt the full-on "spirit" until Gabel's full set.
Rateliff was first up, though, after the rest of the crew set down their instruments and hopped down to the side of the stage (only to sporadically jump back up to accompany their friends). The Denver singer-songwriter has a booming voice that he wields carefully to inject energy into his moving modern folk songs. Don't miss this guy when he comes through next with or without his band, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Wheel. I sent Rateliff a couple questions via email before the show:
What song by which band makes you miss home when you're on tour?
"No Place to Fall" by Townes Van Zandt. I cover it some shows when I miss my wife.
What band do you most associate with Omaha?
What new band are you most excited about?
Next up was Branan, whose debut record comes out May 22 on Bloodshot Records. I've never seen someone shred an acoustic guitar as hard, fast and expertly. He sings nasty Southern folk songs, while mad-dogging the crowd with eyes that no doubt have provoked their share of fights. (His admission that he'd recently quit smoking might have had something to do with that impression.) Branan responded to the same questions, echoing Rateliff on the homesick song:
What band do you most associate with Omaha?
Cursive, because of Saddle Creek. I don't know if they're from here, though. [Editor's note: They are.]
What new band are you most excited about?
Glossary! That's my jam.
There's no question that Gabel is the biggest name on this tour, his band having skyrocketed to playing some of the world's biggest venues over the last few years. And he rewarded the crowd who came out for him by playing a greatest-hits set that included "Joy," "Pints of Guinness," "White Crosses," etc., as well as an excellent B-side — "Tonight We're Gonna Give It 35%" — that I'd never heard AM! play live. Apparently, neither had the guy standing behind me, who screamed himself hoarse during it. About a dozen dudes in front of him sang every word to every song.
Fists in the air. Eyes closed. Heads thrown back. It reminded me of seeing his band play in a sweaty little basement space on 14th and Farnam back around 2001. It felt raw and pure, with Gabel smiling through every song as the chorus of voices nearly drowned him out. Though he gave the crowd what they wanted, he also played a couple new songs, one of which sounded almost metal.
Backed by his buddies Gaunt and Ginsberg, tour organizer Ragan played last, featuring songs spanning his solo career and Hot Water Music material. Afterward, the rest of the guys hopped back on stage and traded songs one more time to close the night. Though each of these men are accomplished performers, the show felt like a booze-filled, late-night hootenanny among buddies, with each of them learning songs as they went. Hands and hips shaking.
Here's what I saw.
Andrew Norman is Hear Nebraska's editor-in-chief. He's been listening to Rateliff all day. Feel the spirit yourself. Reach Norman at andrewn@hearnebraska.org.