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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2009 > February > 12 > Entry
Review: Fred Eaglesmith, Southpaw Jones at Cactus Cafe
Fred Eaglesmith’s wisest cracks are as timely as his tales timeless.
He fired both a mile a minute Wednesday at the Cactus Café. “We were in Houston last night,” the popular Canadian storyteller said early on. “They’re just as out of money as you are. We’re here watching your reverse socialism: taking from the bottom and giving to the top. Castro’s in Cuba looking up like the RCA dog. ‘What are they doing up there?’” As the crowd rolled and hollered, Eaglesmith picked up a yellow bullhorn. “You should try to laugh when you’re alive because you can’t when you’re dead!”
No problem. The Juno award winner, nominated again this year for his rural epic “Tinderbox,” exploded laughter all night. His cantankerous, bone-dry humor well tempered weighty stories wrestling hardship with heart. Eaglesmith and his combustible trio fueled new material - particularly the haunted hymnals “I Pray Now,” “Fancy God” and “Get on Your Knees” - with a zealot’s urgency. “Brothers and sisters,” he howled and growled, hands shaking feverishly, “I’ve been sent to you to save your souls. Jesus told me to save your souls.”
Maybe he did. The relatively sparse group - mostly middle-aged “Fredheads” filling about two-thirds capacity - reacted as enthusiastically as saved sinners. Splitting time between electric and acoustic sets, Eaglesmith climaxed with the greasy cautionary tale “Alcohol and Pills” and Kasey Chambers’ favorite “Water in the Fuel.” The 51-year-old deftly tempered his Dudley George murder ballad with a priceless deer joke. Ask for it in April: Eaglesmith is scheduled to return for the Old Settler’s Music Festival.
Meantime, keep an eye peeled for opener Southpaw Jones. The Austin resident’s cheeky skewers “Legitimate Film,” “The Last Remaining Beatle” and “Fatty Arbuckle” proved an inspired pairing. “Yeah, I lost it,” Jones laughed, butchering a verse. “I hope you weren’t too nervous for me there. I do have a day job.”
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By Fan!
February 24, 2009 4:28 PM | Link to this
Saw Eaglesmith and Band at a private show in Texas on Valentines… Awesome Group! Check them out anytime you can!
By Pete Timmins
February 27, 2009 7:34 PM | Link to this
Which one is the Dudley George murder ballad? I guess I haven’t heard it.
Pete