New York Dolls/Calexico
Date: July 16, 2005 And Prayed it Would Rain and Rain While the 2005 Bluesfest gave me a chance to revisit some past concert favourites, it was also an opportunity to take in some previously unseen acts. The second Saturday of the festival fit into the latter category, as I caught the Main Stage performances of Calexico and the New York Dolls. Despite having their set divided in two by a thunderstorm, Calexico delivered an excellent show that deepened my appreciation for them, while the Dolls proved to be a lot of fun, as well. My knowledge of Calexico is mostly limited to the recent releases Feast of Wire and Convict Pool; but fortunately, new material was well represented in their set. "Quattro (World Drifts In)," "Across the Wire," and "Not Even Stevie Nicks . . ." all made their mark early. With the stellar musicianship of the six-piece band, though, even unfamiliar songs were a delight. With several players changing instruments throughout the set, the interplay of electric and acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass, drums, vibraphone, trumpets, and accordion was always incredibly tight, making for a captivating experience. Joey Burns was equally adept on vocal duties, acting as a great frontman. Unfortunately, despite Joey's hopes that "Sunken Waltz" would not prove prophetic, an approaching thunderstorm led Bluesfest staff to put a halt to the concert after only a half hour of playing. Wednesday night had seen a thunderstorm so severe and long-lasting that it cancelled all of the festival's headlining sets; and seeing the crew rolling tarps over stage equipment was an unwelcome familiarity. Better luck was in store on this evening, though. After a delay slightly longer than their preceding set, the band was back on stage, with Joey joking that it was fun to play outside in the rain, as a change of pace from the band's desert home. The interruption could not have helped the band's momentum or the audience's mood, yet it seemed that the show picked up where it left off without a hitch. By the time that Calexico was into its second song of the latter half of the set, their spell was cast again. Another mitigating factor in the damage was the fact that the Main Stage schedule had enough leeway to push back the New York Dolls start time, letting Calexico have a relatively lengthy second act. Once again, I felt that all the songs hit the mark perfectly, with a lively rip through "Corona," a forceful "Güero Canelo," and a hair-raising "Crystal Frontier" among the more notable offerings. Calexico demonstrated their top-notch live power twofold in their Bluesfest slot. Their impeccable playing showcased the tightness of their live act, while their ability to overcome the rain delay testified to their control of the stage. I left thoroughly impressed by the band, determined both to delve deeper into their catalogue and to see them in action again--ideally, at a covered venue. While Calexico is the band that brought me out to Bluesfest on this night, I decided to stay at the main stage to witness the legendary New York Dolls. The Dolls are an outfit that I really knew only by reputation, so I was mainly just looking for a fun set, which the band delivered handily. With original members David Johansen and Syl Sylvain leading the way, the Dolls roared through a fast, raw series of proto-punk classics. While the Main Stage grounds may not have been as packed as on earlier nights in the festival, with most of the younger punk crowd likely seeing Alexisonfire on a side stage, those who were present were quite energetic throughout, adding to the vibe. The Dolls certainly delivered with their stage presence, particularly that of rake-thin Johansen, who spent much of his time strutting about the stage clad in a tight pink T-shirt and black jeans, goading the crowd into action and joking with his band. While the setlist gave fans a chance to relive the band's two albums, each over thirty years old, a selection of covers reached even farther back, emphasizing the blues roots found in the original punk recordings. In addition to Bo Diddley's "Pills," found on the band's 1973 debut, the set also featured "Piece of My Heart" and "In My Girlish Days." With my unfamiliarity with the songs, the set blended together into a noisy, swaggering wall of music that was a blast to take in. The whole affair seemed to blow by very quickly, with an encore of "Human Being" capping an hour and fifteen minute performance before you knew it. Even if the crowd was sparse, the New York Dolls knew how to work it, leading to an energetic night from both the band and its fans. New York Dolls setlist and pick: 
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