Manchester Academy, 21 April 2006

I’ve been a fan of Calexico since acquiring THE BLACK LIGHT album back in 1999. But it has remained the one band that I have never seen live, despite the fact that it’s very popular in Europe, and has toured extensively. So this was quite a important event for me, as it turned out the guys put on a very special, distinctive and long show to mark the occasion… Calexico came to prominence in the late 90’s with its breakthrough Mariachi/ Mexican influenced HOT RAIL but has since opened out its musical remit to include ambient electronica, infused jazz and much more. The band’s latest album GARDEN RUIN has proved something of a surprise for fans with its more contemporary, and arguably, more conventional rock/alt country sound. For me, it’s John Burns and Jon Convertino’s finest work because it addresses the worrying reality of contemporary America, and especially its extreme and aggressive political environment. It’s a classic album which I have played continually since receiving it about a month ago.

There were several surprises in wait for me on arriving at Manchester University’s excellent Academy venue. First, the gig had moved from the much smaller Academy 2 due to ticket demand, and ultimately selling-out the Uni’s largest venue - a feat many mainstream bands cannot achieve. Surprise number two was the superbly decorated stage set that featured a huge woven backdrop, freshly picked ivy-draped mic stands, and the most attractive pyramids of guitars stage-centre. Next, the nature of the audience that was one of the most diverse I have ever witnessed and housing a significant number of younger punters. And if that wasn’t enough to wet the appetite, I established that the show would start at 8pm and probably end at close to 11pm…. My final surprise was the support act, Iron & Wine, that turned out to be a highlight of the evening…

Iron & Wine is one heavily bearded Sam Beam, who recently collaborated with Calexico on the IN THE REINS album. Alongside him providing backing vocals and the occasional spell of fiddle was, I assume, his sister Sarah Beam. Opening up, Paul Niehaus (formerly Lambchop band member and now full-time with Calexico) played on pedal steel.

Unfortunately I have never seen nor heard of Sam Beam and so I knew none of the songs played. However, that little problem will be sorted when I acquire the relevant records, because what followed was the most haunting, melodic, beautiful and moving music I’ve heard from a solo artist in 2006. The artist’s voice was note perfect and as smooth as silk. Backing vocals were some of the most subtle I’ve ever heard. The songs were fabulous and from what I could hear (in a show that was superbly sound-managed) were about love and loss. And if this wasn’t enough, during the forty-minute set Beam was joined by both Convertino and Burns to play some of the songs from the IN THE REINS album.

It was a stunning opening and one which the knowledgeable audience applauded every step of the way. I am beginning to understand why Liverpool and Manchester are fast becoming the first and last point of call for visiting acts. Without exception, they are the most appreciative and savvy UK audiences, and eek out the very best from performers. After the completion of the night’s show, the merch stand was inundated with buyers. I tried to secure a copy of the latest Iron & Wine album but had to give up with a crowd that was about ten people deep, and began to worry security officials as the 11pm curfew came and went…

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The switch-over from one band to another was as fast as fuck, and it was gratifying to me that the opening salvo was from Calexico’s latest album. Yours And Mine; with its sublime acoustic intro, understated and contemplative vocal, sharp percussive bursts, and mesmerising melody; sounded fantastic and exemplified just how well the band’s sound people had done their job. The Academy is notorious for over-amplification with ear plugs a necessity. But on this occasion I even managed to stand in front of the monitors without the fear of bursting ear drums, while hearing every excellent lyric and instrumental nuance. Next up another new album marvel in Cruel, with its gently swaying acoustic intro, powerful bass line, sweet melody, superb keyboard moments, ebbing and flowing pedal steel, building pace, and another superb Burns vocal.

With the show scheduled to end at 10.30pm it was obvious that this first UK tour show would include the best from the rest of the band’s albums, and sure enough Across The Wire (from FEAST OF WIRE) arrived followed by dark and glacially paced Stray (from THE BLACK LIGHT, complete with Mariachi trumpets and vibes. Crowd approval was instant and loud! Then another ‘oldie’ in Not Even Stevie Nicks… (from FEAST OF WIRE) to even louder roars of approval, before diving back into GARDEN RUIN with Deep Down. This is dramatic, epic, up-beat song that builds like an approaching express train before coming to an abrupt halt. Fucking amazing!

This was turning out to be one special show and my enthusiasm was raised in hearing yet another new album track, the slow and intensely moving Smash. With pedal steel circulating quietly in the background and a whispering vocal the song suddenly bursts into vibrant life around the middle eight when the pace and instrumental content goes for broke to nail this fabulous song. The Iron & Steel duo returns to provide backing vocals to one of my favourite songs on the new album, Panic Open String. Over in the dark shadows of the stage an upright bass plays out the song in heart-stopping fashion, and I was overwhelmed with both the song and its performance… Burns then introduced fellow collaborator Mexican Salvador Duran who performed a three-song solo session in Spanish to a surprisingly appreciative audience. Duran’s voice possessed the strength of an operatic tenor, while his time-worn hands produced quite electrifying sounds from his guitar. As sweat enveloped the man’s expressive face, we were all transfixed by a performance that can only be described as passionate and compelling.

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The band left the stage at around this point for a brief rest and then ploughed on with two songs from its breakthrough Mariachi album HOT RAIL (Ballad Of Cable Hogue, El Picador) and a filler of FEAST OF WIRE with Black Heart. Then back to the new album with another favourite of mine Roka, with its more subtle Mariachi sound overlaid with vocals from both Burns and Duran. Flashes of trumpet from Jacob Valezuela and Martin Wenk complete a magnificent song and perfect live rendition. But it got better! Letter To Bowie Knife is also from the new album and comes with truckloads of superb guitar work, melody, devastating changes of pace, and an epic ambience that explodes from the stage and fills the capacity auditorium. Magnificent!

Then arrived both the best and most disappointing moments… All Systems Red is an eleven-minute opus from the new album, and is sure to be one of my personal musical highlights of 2006. From every possible perspective this is a classic song that bemoans the political state that the USA now finds itself in. But it’s not a song that should have been played at this point in the show. Its proper place in the set-list should have been at the very end to top one of the best shows I have ever seen. That said it was played with the menace and magnificence that it deserved. It opens very slowly with major emphasis on the introductory vocal backed only by the most subtle guitar chords. It then starts to build very gradually to the point that virtually every instrument joins in the musical protest, and the hairs on the back of very neck in the audience stood to bold attention. I’m convinced that this song in its full length could be released as a single, and be allocated a special and unique place in radio play-lists. It would fly! And at this point of the show I would have been happy to leave with the song on repeat-play in my head for the journey home…

But there was more… The single Alone Again Or… followed by an amazing Crystal Frontier (from HOT RAIL) ended the show to an incessant roar from the crowd. It took a couple of minutes but out the players came for the final fling and into Bisbee Blue from the new album. This could be another single with its wandering vocal, supreme melody and sentiments, gentle country vibe, and simple instrumental backdrop. He Was Upstairs (from THE BOOK AND THE CANAL was next, followed by In The Reins (from IN THE REINS and Iron & Wine) with just about everybody on stage ready for the final song All Tomorrow’s Parties. I go back to what I mentioned earlier and the song that should have completed the show on a magnificent and memorable high (All Systems Red), and a song used to end several other concerts. It was the only small but important blemish in a virtuoso performance by one of the greatest bands on the planet. The show lasted almost three hours and I’m sure will remain in the memory of fans for a long time to come. It was very much a musical ‘family affair’ that combined skill, adventure, diversity and excitement from the word go. It was also inspirational for all concerned and I’m pretty sure that all the players will remember that night in Manchester with much affection, and hope it will be repeated as they trek across the UK and the rest of the world. It was a ‘night to remember.’

SET LIST

Yours and Mine

Cruel

Across The Wire

Stray

Not Even Stevie Nicks…

Deep Down

Smash

Panic Open String

Ballad of Cable Hogue or Sonic Wind

Black Heart

El Picador

Roka

Letter To Bowie Knife

All Systems Red

Alone Again Or…

Crystal Frontier

Encore

Bisbee Blue

He Was Upstairs

In The Reins

All Tomorrow’s Parties