Jackie Greene - October 27, 2009 - Rex Theatre Pittsburgh

I received a call from Mister Zed telling me that Jackie Greene was playing at the Rex, last minute show etc... I only know Jackie from seeing Phil Lesh and Friends at the 2008 All Good Festival when Jackie was one of Phil's friends but he did make a good impression from that show, so I said "yeah". I picked up his latest cd, "Giving Up the Ghost" (good stuff) and streamed some Phil Lesh and Friends shows from the Archive when Jackie was in the band.

I don't know why this was a last minute show (show elsewhere cancelled?) but those of us who showed up (about 100 people in the audience) got a real treat. Jackie's only comment as he came on stage was "Oh, I guess it will be an intimate show". The band was a basic setup, two electric guitars, bass and drums. There is a lot to be said for keeping it simple. The music as electric, rootsy, gritty and thoroughly enjoyable. They threw in some Beatles from my favorite Beatles album revolver(Taxman>Tomorrow Never Knows) that was quite nice. The Grateful Dead covers were perhaps not as surprising given Jackie's connection with Phil. Scarlet Begonias was a kind of slow groove that worked well for this song. The New Speedway Boogie encore was everything you want from that song, gritty, loud, bluesy, post-apocalyptic. Jackie and his guitar partner/bandmate were great trading licks through the show.