Photo by Erik Ljung
No one will ever accuse Guster of being a polished band. But, based on their acoustic show at the Pabst last Saturday, that’s a good thing. What other band would submit themselves to audience requests for one third of the show?
When one fan requested “Empire State” off 2006’s Ganging Up on the Sun, the band admitted they hadn’t played the song in years. After a little hesitation, they agreed to try.
“Luke, have you ever even played this song,” Ryan asked Luke Reynolds, the newest addition to the band, as Luke sat down at the piano.
“No,” he admits. “But I like it.”
Ryan begins to play, hand signaling chords to Luke as he goes. He remembers most of the opening verse, but mumbles through many of the following lyrics. Instead of being upset, the crowd takes it in turn. After all, they said they hadn’t played the song in years. They weren’t lying.
The entire show had the feeling of a friendly get-together, set in someone’s living room rather than the elaborate Pabst Theater. Comedian Jeff Garlin, who sauntered back onto the stage mid-show sans jacket and wielding an unlit cigar, only contributed to that feeling. During the entire middle section of the show, he was either dancing, singing a cover of Neil Diamond’s “Solitary Man” or sitting in a large leather recliner.
The show opened with “Backyard” from 2003’s Keep it Together, and drummer Brian Rosenworcel reverted to playing the drums with his hands – his standard a few years ago. After about 10 songs, the “question mark” section of the show started, in which audience members could tweet requests. In the spirit of the rest of the tour, Guster requested people bring beer steins to decorate the stage. The winner was the fan who requested “Empire State.” After an in-audience serenade to “Window,” a few partial covers and a few older requests, the band returned to their pre-decided set list.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Guster string players, who, although not technically part of the band, went along with the laid-back vibe, even contributing to some of the show’s quirkier moments, i.e. Ryan’s travel music. During songs such as “The Beginning of the End” and “Rainy Day,” the violin player stole the show – garnering standing applause from many in the audience.
And the guys ended the show as they have since I started seeing them live – almost 10 years ago – with an unplugged sing-along version of “Jesus on the Radio” from Keep it Together. Guster’s shows might never reach the refined sheen of some of their contemporaries, but that’s okay. They’ve always been the underdogs, the rockstar dorks. They play the part well.
