Magnolia Electric Co.
Date: October 4, 2007 Southern Manners With the few concerts that interested me running into scheduling conflicts, I had a long musical lull after Bluesfest. The show to finally break the quiet was a very good one, though, with Magnolia Electric Co. returning to Ottawa, accompanied by The Watson Twins. The Watson Twins were almost unknown to me going in to the night, with my only exposure to them coming from the album that they recorded with Jenny Lewis, which I had scarcely heard. However, it didn't take long for them to win me over with their tender harmonies and sparse folk songs. Their three-piece backing band displayed a light touch, keeping the spotlight on sisters Chandra and Leigh. The twins alternated duties, with each taking a share of lead vocals and acoustic guitar. A charming banter between songs and a thoroughly enjoyable set that jumped between their Southern Manners EP and unrecorded material earned them a steadily increasing audience at the front of what had been an almost empty floor. The Watson Twins had set a very warm mood, and Magnolia Electric Co. built on that good will, starting from the moment that Jason Molina took the stage with a broad grin. The rest of Molina's band seemed to have changed some members since I saw them last but the group's approach was consistent with previous shows. In the past, written setlists had been quickly ignored; on this night, the performers skipped the formality of even preparing a list, launching with "Montgomery" and proceeding as they saw fit. After "Hammer Down," "Texas 71" showcased the range of the music's intensity, starting off as a hushed tiptoe before leaping to a full-band gallop. Other notables in the set included "Lonesome Valley," "Bowery," the Hank Williams cover "You Win Again," and the stunning "Farewell Transmission." The group's usual rich sound was augmented towards the end of their performance, when Watson Twins guitarist J. Soda took the stage, returning the favour from the opening set, when Magnolia's Mackie Hotpepper had provided pedal steel accompaniment for the Watson Twins. Although Magnolia Electric Co. had once had a reputation for playing a high proportion of unreleased songs in their live shows, I only noticed one unknown song on this night. However, it was a great one, which I hope to hear again live. Molina was quick to point out that the band "doesn't just cherry-pick tour dates in Toronto and Montreal," which I take as a sign that I'll get that opportunity. In fact, I'd love to see either band again. While Magnolia Electric Co. is always a favourite of mine, The Watson Twins also made me a fan. Each band seemed to have a great time playing on stage, and the Watson sisters and Molina were also very amiable with the fans after their sets, making for a thoroughly enjoyable night. The Watson Twins setlist 
<--Prev (Built to Spill) | Next (Bluebird North 2007)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |