Rock

Gotta love the redneck liberals, the hick lefties, the folks who grew up poor on the wrong side of the tracks and still managed to have an educated, realistic view of the world, the folks who know war is ugly because it’s their family and friends who are bleeding for the oil, the folks who don’t need macho posturing, who rise above without losing their roots, the folks who know when to shout loud and when to march.
Woody Guthrie was one. So were Townes Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. I’m one. And Steve Earle is one too.
Last night was a show I wouldn’t miss, in a venue that I’d endure for Steve Earle and precious few others.
Fittingly, he opened with The Revolution Starts Now (strangely enough a song he played again, after the Beatles Revolution).
The last two albums dominated the night, but what’s a Steve Earle show without Guitar Town, Copperhead Road, Transcendental Blues, Christmas in Washington and You’re Still Standin’ There?
It was rock ‘n’ roll and country twang all wrapped up in a righteous anger that I’m all too willing to share.
This is a guy who dedicated his last year to removing the warmongers from the White House and lost, painfully. How does he handle it?
Well, as he said during the encore, the way to survive the election that ensured four more years (of imperial capitalist aggression, runaway debt in the way of the continued economic war on the middle- and lower classes) the way to get through it all is simple: Travel out of the country, fall in love and play one kick-ass Rolling Stones cover a night (this one was Sweet Virginia, though I’d have preferred his sharp-edged version of Dead Flowers).

Good to see the Lounge is buzzin’. Let’s keep it up everybody.