Egan Is Cosy Country
The Age (09.12.00)
Review: James Young
Bob Egan
The Continental, September 10
"What time is Bob Egan taking stage?" "What time
can you make it?"
Unfortunately it was a very modest crowd of independent country
music fans who chose to ignore the Sunday night movie and get down
to The Continental in Prahan to see touring singer/songwriter Bob
Egan.
Egan was raised in Chicago, lived in Missisippi for a while and
now lives in Toronto, Canada, as a member of Blue Rodeo.
It's not something Egan likes, but he's perhaps best known for
playing the pedal steel in Wilco for a couple of years (which included
Being There and Mermaid Avenue recordings).
Afficionado who went to Egan's show hoping to hear Wilco tracks
may have been disappointed. Not only didn't he play any, he also
never got behind the pedal steel, instead of preferring to play
the acoustic guitar and explore the solo material on his debut self-titled
release.
On stage, Egan was joined by Blue Rodeo's Bazil Donovan on bass
and local boy David Creese on drums.
Creese met Egan for the first time earlier that day. I'm still
not sure whether to feel touched by the sense of community in the
alternative country scene that a guy can join a band with less than
half a day's association or whether to feel somewhat ripped off.
Egan's best live tracks included Cold Wind, Startin' Over, Wine
Drinker and Satellite, although his lyrics were difficult to decipher.
He likes to sing very close to the mike.
Even when he was audible, between songs, Egan was difficult to
follow, asking at one point, "Who can name three cities in
Holland?" No explanation followed. Surreal.
Melbourne's Jeff (Acuff's Rose) Williams' new band, The Clear Spacemen,
supported Egan and showcased an array of archingly beautiful fresh
country-tinged numbers. I recommend keeping an ear out for their
forthcoming CD. At present, Williams' cigarette has more charisma
than the rest of the band, so seeing them live is not so important.
After Egan's 50-minute set, Williams', his guitarist (another Bazil)
and pedal-steel player (Gerard) joined Egan's lineup for an encore
of enjoyable country standards that included Long Black Veil and
Dead Flowers. This left the small crowd in good spirits and Egan
feeling pretty chuffed with Melbourne. I think he went home more
satisfied than I did.
Bob Egan plays the Corner Hotel in Richmond tomorrow night, supported
by Chris Wilson
<photo of bob, caption: Country comfort: Former Wilco member
Bob Egan sings it mellow at the Continental.>
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