Anybody disappointed they didn't hear more of the "classic," Mark Olson-era Jayhawks tunes in Gary Louris's first of two shows at the Dakota probably didn't catch all of the Jayhawks reunion gigs over the past few years. As is recounted in the full review for Tuesday's paper, the Jayhawks co-leader eschewed many of those songs for basically anything and everything he didn't get to sing on those tours, and it was a welcome respite (or return?).
The list included many of his best tunes of all time, such as "Vagabonds," "Jennifer Save Me," the Dixie Chicks collaboration "Everybody Knows" and such post-Olson Jayhawks nuggets as "It's Up to You" and "All the Right Reasons." He dug especially deep into the record-geek bin for the early-'00s outtake "In the Canyon," as well as the unreleased "Vagabonds"-era beauty "Girl in the Window." There was only one brand new song, "The Greatest Longshot" -- which charmingly sounded like Louris as John Prine – but he said he would be finishing off a new solo album later this year. Monday's show, and probably Tuesday's too, should go a long way in jumpstarting that process.
WITH KEVIN BOWE & OKEMAH PROPHETS: True Blue / Three Too Many / Vagabonds / Baby Let Me Take Care of You / I'm Gonna Make You Love Me / In the Canyon
SOLO SET: Everybody Knows (Dixie Chicks co-write) / Settled Down Like Rain / Need You Tonight (??, Sugarland co-write) / Jennifer Save Me / The Greatest Longshot (new song) / Gone / Jealous of the Moon (Nickle Creek co-write)
ALMOST-JAYHAWKS SET: Smile (Karen Grotberg joins) / Waiting for the Sun / All the Right Reasons / Trouble (Tim O'Reagan and Marc Perlman join) / One Man's Problem / Better Days / It's Up to You / I'd Run Away / Save It For a Rainy Day
ENCORE: Girl in the Window (solo) / Tailspin / Without You (Badfinger, with Chan Poling) / Until You Came Along (Poling, O'Reagan, Perlman)
Tickets are still available for Louris's second show Tuesday at the Dakota.
