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On Saturday, February 13th Mudpie and Cellar Mouse ventured out to the Paradise Rock Club to see Jackie Greene.


Listen to the show now uploaded to the Internet Archive’s Live Music Archive.

Mudpie’s thoughts:

I couldn’t wait for this show. I had only gotten a little taste of Jackie and wanted more.

Some time ago, a friend told me to do myself a favor and check out Jackie Greene. I filed the name away somewhere in my brain and went on with my daily routine of preschooler and toddler parenting. One day while waiting in line at the public library, I decided to peruse the CD’s. There he was, so I checked out “Giving Up the Ghost”. I listened at night while doing the dishes after the kids were in bed. I kept listening and began accruing library fines. Then, in December, I caught an unsatisfyingly short, 4 song set at a benefit in Asheville, NC.

When I saw Jackie was playing the Paradise in Boston, there was no question, I was going. Cellar Mouse was more than willing to be my companion for the evening. It made me smile to see the stuffed Jerry Garcia doll on stage when we entered the club as I do have a soft spot for Jerry. If you’re not a Dead fan, don’t let that deter you. This is no hippy dippy wannabe jam band.

Club shows are by far my favorite. The music saturates the room in a way that doesn’t necessarily happen elsewhere. From beginning to end, Jackie oozed bluesy goodness and we were all dripping in it. It was impossible for me to stay still during such danceable grooves. Jackie is also a talented songwriter, he writes with the depth and experience of someone with more than his 29 years. His stories are those of a disquieted soul, searching for reprieve. His music echoes with a wide breadth of influences, but there is an authenticity to his music that is purely Jackie Greene.

A recording isn’t the same as the live experience. But do yourself a favor and
have a taste, you’ll be back for more.

Cellar Mouse weighs in:

I went to the show with limited knowledge of Jackie Greene.  Mudpie had seen Jackie a couple of months ago when she was out of town and loved him.  She asked me to join her to see the show knowing that I would love the music, venue, and probably could be convinced to drink tequila*.  She was right.  I loved the venue.  It was a nod to my favorite venue Ziggy’s in Winston Salem, NC.  There really wasn’t a bad spot for sound.  We occupied three different locations throughout the evening and the quality of the sound was the same in every place.  I love that,  I love when a place gets that people are there for the music.  I want to feel like I am on the inside of the stereo, the guitar, and have the music envelope me.  So great.  Jackie Greene was like the boldest and richest of the red wines.  He was so smooth and complex.  The music had many layers and yet he was fun and charming.  He didn’t seem to take himself too seriously.  My favorite part of the show is a 15 minute segment where Jackie started with Hollywood moved to Tomorrow Never Comes and while he was on his knees in front of the pedals creating new sounds he stood up switched guitars within seconds and moved the song into Taxman.  I didn’t want to dance I just wanted to watch him do his dance.  His dance on the guitar was effortless.  I kept saying that he belonged somewhere deep in the swamps of Louisiana on a Saturday night in the middle of the summer.  He just made you sweat and that would have been more appropriate somewhere other than Boston.  It was a lovely reprieve from winter.  Jackie must have made a deal with the devil for his talent and it seems like it was worth it.

*Right before Jackie went on stage I made my way through the crowd to order another round of tequila.  This was the first time I ordered the drink from the show floor, our *ahem* other orders were made in the front lounge.  I asked the bartender for 2 Patróns with club soda and lots of lime and the bartender asked me to repeat the order because it was too loud.  So I leaned over the bar and repeated my order, he stepped back and nodded his head to me strongly and then got to work.  I felt like I was in a Western.  That bartender had so much respect for my drink order.  It was fun ordering.