Two shows have recently been unearthed, taken from their original soundboard recordings: Live At Dylan’s Café, Washington DC December 8, 1987 from the Band’s bassist Rick Danko and another, Live At O’Tooles Tavern Scranton, PA December 1985 (The Late Show), with fellow Band mate Richard Manuel. These two powerhouse musicians are no longer with us, but back in the 80s, the pair were very much alive and playing out wherever they could (Dylan’s Café’ is actually a bookstore). What we have here are some rare and delightful live shows for fans of the Band fans and folk-rock, alike.
The two-CD Live At Dylan Café set opens with the silly “Java Blues,” It almost sounds like Danko is making this one up on the spot. “Christmas Must be Tonight” fares much better with a fun, yet heartfelt lyric about the birth of Christ and a sweet melody. Tunes like “My Friend” and “My Love” are perfect and poignant pieces, maybe a little soft in the vocal department (Danko has a weak voice at the best of times), but he certainly has lived these lyrics. The emotion comes across even when the technique doesn’t.
Danko manages a great read on “Stage Fright,” though again his voice isn’t really up to the task at this point. “CC Rider” and “Jimmy Crack Corn” are fun but throwaways at best. I’m fonder of “Oh Baby (Whatcha Gonna Do),” a bluesy, upbeat number with a snarky lyric about a do-me-wrong girl. There’s also the plodding “The Weight,” again “weighed” down by Danko’s shaky warble. Yet he bounces back on a rather well-sung “It Makes No Difference,” which goes to show Danko could still surprise audiences when he wanted to. “Mystery Train” ends the first disc with some well-played guitar from Danko.
The second disc is simply the second show with lots of the same songs, save for “Sunny Side.” A sweet “Once Upon A Time,” a real great “Missing In Action, “ which could have been longer, and set-ender “Rivers Of Babylon,” fill out the rest. For historians of minutia, the second disc here includes the five songs from Bob Margolin’s opening set.
Live At O’Tooles Tavern is a little more interesting, simply because you have two performers. Manuel’s another one with a distinct, somewhat weak set of pipes, but he and Danko make a pretty good blend. “My Love” shows up here, but with Manuel’s piano providing the main instrumentation. And moments like Manuel’s vocal on “She Knows” makes this set a little livelier. The Band’s “King Harvest” sees Danko picking up his infamous fretless bass to pop behind an equally popping Manuel on what is really the highlight of the 12 songs. .
This the second set of the pair’s shows at O’Tooles, with a more competitive spirit, especially when the guys get into “It Makes No Difference.” There’s even some banter — which gets its own track — before we’re into “Chest Fever,” featuring a nifty arrangement of Danko’s bass and Manuel’s staccato piano that pushes the boys to the top of their vocal limit. The whole thing ends with a big bluesy “Every Night And Every Day.”
Live At Dylan’s Café, Washington DC December 8, 1987 and Live At O’Tooles Tavern Scranton, PA December 1985 are certainly rough sounding and equally roughly played, yet intimate shows. These are historical artifacts unless you’re a full-fledge Band aficionado. Any way you slice it, it’s still nice to hear simple takes on classic songs from the men who made them classic.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
