Arlo Guthrie– The Gov – Wednesday 24 April 2019
Words Geoff Jenke
Arlo Guthrie is the son of singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie and being bought up around the likes of Pete Seeger, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, there was only one way musically Arlo would go – story telling and protest songs. Although known best as the person who wrote and sang the 20-minute song, Alice’s Restaurant Massacrein 1967, Arlo has released over 30 albums during his career.
The Gov was already packed solid by the time we arrived. These Baby Boomers certainly know how to support their elder statesmen performers. I have seen a lot of these Baby Boomer popular artists over the past few years but this one would hold the record for perhaps having the oldest average age. I doubt there would have been too many people here under 55 years of age.
With no support artist, Arlo came on stage at 8 pm with his 4-piece backing band, which included his son Abe Guthrie, on keyboards. He launched into a straight forward version of The Motorcycle Song, commenting after that he “had to get that one out the way. Hope the rest are better than that one”
And they were. My Darkest Hour was an exceptional early gem and Ukulele Lady an unexpected sing-a-long. He told us “you can’t sing the blues at 13. You have to be old and crotchety. I fit that bill perfectly” He also said he was losing his voice so “the next song should sound great” and Gamblers Blues (St James Infirmary) ,certainly did.
While on covers, Arlo donned an electric guitar for Leadbelly’s, Alabama Bound. Loud and electric, it was. The stories continued, telling us about meeting Bob Dylan at 13 and also about a time in Tucson, where a reporter confronted him with “Did you know Bob Dylan is playing in town the same night as you and why would anyone come see you?” Arlo replied they would come see him because Dylan no longer performs many of his old songs and if people wanted to hear those, they would have to see him. And the newspaper printed it. This led to another highlight of the evening, a blistering version of Dylan’s, Gates of Eden., Arlo’s voice was suited to the song perfectly.
After a short break Arlo was back for the THE song everyone was waiting for, the full 20-minute version of Alice’s Restaurant Massacre. The song is based on real life story of when Arlo was arrested for dumping litter and the consequences of that incident that followed at his draft. The song lampoon’s the Vietnam draft but Arlo has often said it is more an “anti-stupidity” song than anti-war song. The audience lapped it up. Arlo told us if he “had known it would become so popular, he would have made it shorter”
August 2019 will be the 50thanniversary of the 1969 Woodstock Festival, at which Arlo played. He told us he is going back for a free performance to celebrate the occasion before playing the song, Coming into Los Angeles, which he played in 1969.
Arlo moved to the piano for All Over the World, with it’s lovely vocal support from the backing band, before finishing the set with a version of Steve Goodman’s The City of New Orleans.
Arlo said “The show is over, but we will play another song. It’s only a short song of two verses”. He then pointed out that “this (Adelaide) would be the only town where he has never played the same venue twice. Why is that?” The closing song was an audience sing -a-long of his father’s My Piece.It was only 9.45 pm and the night was done. But what a night.
I didn’t know what to expect on arrival, except to hear the Alice’s Restaurant song. What I didn’t expect was such a wonderful evening’s entertainment of stories and song, where every song played was probably better than that Alice song. Comes back soon Arlo.
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