Magnolia Electric Co. was one of the first bands that truly got me excited about local music in Bloomington. I remember my roommate introducing me to the band when Fading Trails first came out and being totally in awe of Jason Molina's voice and delivery, and the kind of Neil Young in mourning quality that he brought to each of his songs. Having just moved to town, that album (and the discovery of the ever-amazing Secretly Canadian) was one of the first things that showed me what an amazing place Bloomington could be for music, art, and creativity.
Two years and a lot of listening later, I got the chance to see Molina and his excellent band recreate their music live, and the experience did not disappoint. Playing with The Hollows and King's Daughters and Sons at the Buskirk, Tuesday night had lots and lots of promise, and it definitely delivered.
The Hollows started off the show, a pretty standard Bloomington country/folk four-piece. Despite apparently being petrified by nerves, singer and guitarist Kate Long pulled off a pretty good show, and I could definitely see the reasoning behind putting the group on the same bill as Magnolia. Beyond a few songs I listened to on the band's Myspace page before the show, I'd never heard them before, but I found myself enjoying the songs and the group's laid-back, lonesome country soul that seemed akin to some of Magnolia's work.
A very welcome surprise was a dynamite set from King's Sons and Daughters, who I hadn't had the chance to hear at all before the show. It was really solid stuff, engaging and complex, and their folky approach to post rock was incredibly unique. I was glad to hear them say that they were headed to the studio to record an album soon. Can't wait to hear it, boys (and girl) - come back to Bloomington again soon!
From Mark Rice's powerhouse drum fills to Jason Groth's searing guitar leads, Magnolia was far more powerful (and louder) in person that their records ever suggested. Though they fell into softer sections more than a few times, these mostly served as a counterpoint to the huge, rock-your-brains out sound that most of the show presented. None of them even touched an acoustic guitar, and some songs that are quieter, more reflective pieces on the recordings, like "Talk to me Devil Again" and "Shiloh Temple Bell," became massive guitar rock epics.
Molina's voice in a live setting was just as impressive. With all the sadness, longing, and passion that had impressed me when I first heard him sing, his performance was stirring and emotional. "Farewell Transmission" gave me chills. His posture and delivery exuded such confidence and power; eyebrows curled downward in such a sad way, he looked and sounded genuinely haunted by the many ghosts and devils that fill his lyrics.
Though I would've loved to have heard some more of my favorites from Fading Trails like "Lonesome Valley" and "Don't Fade on Me", hearing so many old Magnolia songs, and even some Songs: Ohia tunes, was awesome. Though I'm personally a bit less familiar with some of these songs, playing the songs that made this town fall in love with Jason Molina in the first place seemed like the perfect homecoming.
All in all, a very fun night, and a great experience that I hope to repeat. Can't wait to hear that new Magnolia album that's supposed to come out next year and I hope they have a great time on tour.
--Greg
PS: You can read my IDS review of Tuesday night's show here
