Review and photos – The Gaslight Anthem at the Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, Sept 6 2010

– review by eugene osudar/photos by Stephanie Willer

petty, waits & robbins
(not a law firm)
merely and
firmly entrenched
the tom/tom/toms
are
in the inspired writing
the words
and ideas
(of
The Gaslight Anthem)
deeply and steeply
in
the images
and motifs
that blow (wind blow)
with hurricane force
into the hearts
and minds and dreams
(the hooks)
oh the beautiful
s,
bob dylan
miles davis
bruce springsteen!
johnny cash
short stories
novels
songs
(three minute poems)
to the stars and moons,

in her enchanting eyes

oh you dreamers,
her eyes, her eyes!
and always a car
sexy chrome
sensual curves

(cuz every song is about a girl and a car
and “if you don’t like it, then tough!”
Brian Fallon grins)

and american slang
movies,
Bogie and Brando
On The Waterfront
on the cool
So Cool
Casablanca Cool,

just like Joe Strummer
in the greatest moving picture
we ever saw,

The Clash

inspiring dreams
of rockers
punk rockers
whispers to a scream
melodies like
Coma Girl,

let’s go and let’s
move
to the groove
s
to the hook
s
of glorious music
lifting melodies
a strong, clear
voice
fronting
a tight,
(a)(crisp)
band
snapping and popping
and racing
right on through
American Slang
the hook central shivers of
Great Expectations
the 59 Sound
Old White Lincoln
miles davis

(“i saw day
light”)

The Backseat
a few hundred hands
unified
clap
clap hands
Tom Waits

(“rattling chains”)

blue jeans and white tshirts
ida called you woody, joe
boxer

(“you fell straight into my arms”)

in your redemption songs

solo
and infinitely
electric
a new spin
for an old song
i coulda been a contender
first song of the encore

fires
wheels
and her eyes

cutting you down
(down)
to the cold (so,cold)
ground

100 minutes
21 songs

american slang
wooderson
diamond church street choir
old white lincoln
even cowgirls get the blues
we came to dance
59 sound
bring it on
miles davis and the cool
ida called you woody, joe
johnny
wild spirit of jazz
queen of lower chelsea
blue jeans and white tshirts
stay lucky
great expectations

encore,

i coulda been a contender
boxer
senor and the queen
here’s looking at you kid
the backseat

The Gaslight Anthem,
brian fallon, voice, guitar
alex levine, bass
alex rosamilia, guitar
ben horowitz, drums

Brian Fallon marveled,
no barriers in the beautiful
Burton Cummings Theatre
and he and the fans pressed
tight to the stage
reveled
in the closeness

their intimate moments

he was on the floor
on his belly
singing
so near
so close
in a whisper
as he borrowed
a red framed
so red
pair of glasses
from a fan
and
bring your signs
(Vancouver concert goers)
cuz Shelly from
Saskatoon did

(oh the boos)

“what’s that all about?”
brian asks.

short football
history lesson
follows
and he learns
of the rivalry
between the blue bombers
and the green roughies
and
who just won,

round one.

Shelly hugged the alex
s and brian and a song
was dedicated to her.

that’s the beautiful.
of the Gaslight night
in Winnipeg.

the harder,

the sound was an endless
echo
swirl
intolerable
close
best at the back
even then…

(talking to a Burton staffer
near the end of the set
it takes someone who Knows
the far
deep
ranging
dynamics of the big old
theatre
to get the mix sounding
just right)

and
just too long
too many songs

100 minutes
no
50 minutes
yes

three songs
for an encore

(and then,)
if the fans insist
really want
more and more
non-stop
clap,
clap hands,
give it.
play it.

the hooks and fan/
band
interplay
and the hard,
tight playing

(songs about girls and cars
and mostly
Really their heroes)

of The Gaslight Anthem
is always welcome
in any intimate
concert
venue.

onward to Vancouver.
September 11.
The Commodore Ballroom.
i love that dance floor!

The Gaslight Anthem
September 6
Burton Cummings Theatre
Winnipeg.