An Old 97's fanatic that is. The reason can barely be explained without sounding like some kind of crazy person.
I first listened to them in college. They had just released Fight Songs in '99, that winter I GRADUATED from college. I was oblivious to live music in my college town (why didn't I go out? Oh yeah, 'cause I'm a huge nerd). They came here a lot in the late nineties, and I missed it--missed becoming more obsessed with them sooner I guess. I got Satellite Rides, sang along in my car and just kinda just loved them. They were easy to sing along with, lyrics were smarter than the average bear... I don't know why, besides they just sort of fit because they didn't seem to fit into any category of music.
All the time, I caught up on and loved other bands from the same time period and before. I missed out on a decent share of pop culture being holed up in my religious beliefs, along with it's "non-secular" music. Some of which was actually very good! The "new to me" stuff was addictive, I collected albums by Wilco, Cake, and Guster, and many more (all of which I will say is very good music, of course). Looking back on the Old 97's, their catalogues I got started with are the ones that most die-hard fans think are the least best. I still get an old familiar college feeling when I hear "Jagged," which is one of my top five favorites. I had to open that up from three to five now that the new album has come out. There are about 25 songs that they did that I can't imagine my life now without.
I don't know when, but sometime around 2004, one of my husband's friends gave me a live bootleg of the Old 97's performing at our Blue Note--the music venue in Columbia. I didn't listen to it for a while... it sat in the cd case in my car. I suspected it was a shitty recording, all hissy or muffled. It was not. It sat there. Finally, I was in a funk one day. I emptied my car's cd changer and switched everything out with stuff I'd never listened to. Holy crap. That live cd was amazing. Suddenly, and very urgently, I needed to see them LIVE. As it would be, they would not return to Columbia, MO until 2008, that was seven years since their last visit, and four years from my epiphany. I waited. I did get to see them for the first time live in St. Louis at the Pageant in 2008--an awesome live music venue! Later again in Columbia. I was totally hooked.
On a bad day, an Old 97's live set is guitar string tight. There might be some subtext of tension between Rhett and Ken. There is no self-indulgent jamming, only a fairly predictable chain of events. It's the familiar we love, right? I'm not saying they do the same show every night. They pull out all the stops every night. That's what they do. It's incredible what they do. There is so much action on the stage, and despite anything going on between them, they make the show for you. Lead singer, Rhett Miller must be in top athletic condition to go through all the moves he shakes together. The guy has mostly soaked his shirt through with sweat by song number three. We all wait to see the windmill move he does and the funny hip-thrust dance.
There is always some friendly banter with the crowd and some shared jokes between the band. Sometimes they even let you know a few secrets as to how the song they are going to sing was written. We love that stuff. They make it feel like they crafted this set list just for your town and they let you know they are glad you showed up. Not in a desperate way, but an honest appreciation for their fans. Something that's tragically vacant from most music these days.... at least the stuff you hear the most.
As a fan, when you hear the song "Four Leaf Clover" you get a little sad 'cause you know the end is near. It's such a rocking song though, you can't help screaming and singing along. When you hear "Time Bomb" you know for sure it's over. That song is always bittersweet for me. It is much like the grand finale of a fireworks display. You know it will be over any second, but it lights you up anyway. You can't wait for the next time they come back and do it all over again for you.
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