Jason and Andrew Play at Schubas

Okay, one of you got that. But that's fine.

So Gina and I headed out to Schubas last night to check out Jason Molina as part of Schubas' Monday night monthly residency. Mr. Molina is the driving force behind Magnolia Electric Co. and before that, Songs:Ohia. He's probably my favorite living lyricist and doubles as the guy I steal from most often. I mean, the first line of Wait is ripped off from some of his liner notes. That's thievery.

Anyway, I've been trying to see him live for about... four years now, and it just hasn't happened. So when I saw he'd be playing every Monday in February at Schubas, I knew I'd feel like a complete idiot if I didn't take advantage of it. Of course I almost forgot and wound up getting tickets at the last minute for the last Monday of the month... but all's well that ends well.

Anyway, Gina and I rolled into Schubas at about 8:00. I read that the shows started pretty promptly and ran pretty short, and I wanted to make sure we got into the club in time. Of course, we were also hungry. So I ambled up to the doorman to scout out the schedule. Mr. Doorman told me the night had been "moved around" a bit, and as I started to inquire why, Andrew Bird walked out of the back room. I'm part of a very very small group of people in the world who would actually recognize Andrew Bird, and I was a little bit stunned.

I've been a big fan of his going back to about the same time I discovered Jason Molina, maybe longer. I saw him live about four years ago at a street fest in Chicago, and we had the pleasure of playing before him at another street fest about a year and a half ago. Mr. Bird is a violinist by trade and got his start playing with the Squirrel Nut Zippers (remember them?) before going on to a solo career in which he has produced some truly stunning music.

Anyway, Mr. Doorman says the schedule has changed because Andrew Bird (unannounced) will be joining Jason Molina for a few songs and then playing a set of his own. This (along with a new pair of horn-rimmed glasses) is a Chicago-hipster-indie-music-lovers' dream...

So Gina and I went next door to the Harmony Grill and inhaled dinner, taking advantage of the half-price bottle of wine night. We rushed into the music room just in time to hear the first notes of Jason Molina's acoustic guitar. The room was packed and hushed. Jason Molina played a set of about 7 songs, none of which were off of his last couple of albums. He's notoriously productive, so I can only believe that most of the songs were new and unrecorded.

He's a paradox on stage: no more than 5' 2", balding, assuming, but with a voice almost like Neil Young. His cheery persona was in direct contrast to the mournfulness that populates his songs in the form of outlaws, pain, the blues, wolves, owls, wind, the moon... stark stuff.

After he played alone, he invited Andrew Bird up and they put together a couple of tunes on the fly, which was immediately followed by Andrew Bird sitting down and playing a couple of his own newer tunes. He's also a virtuoso whistler. I kid you not. All in all, an amazing performance.

On the way out, we bumped into Jason Molina and I told him how inspiring I found his music and slipped him the Burn Rome Burn discs I had brought hoping to have just such an encounter. So that makes the week a little bit brighter.

That, and these White Castle sliders I'm eating for breakfast.

jbg