Jim Roll
I went out on Friday night to see Jim Roll play at a local bar.
It was a revelation. His three piece band managed to get a fantastic sound together. It was intimate but it was rockin’.
Jim Roll managed to save himself some money on the tour costs by hving his drummer, Neil Cleary, also open the show. He got the crowd warmed up nicely so that Jim Roll played to a happy, attentive audience.
A lot of the songs were from Jim’s newest album, Inhabiting The Ball, which has the support of McSweeney’s behind it. It’s quite a literary affair that has collaborations with Denis Johnson and Rick Moody. Who says country music can’t be smart, too?
It’s not often that I buy CDs at concerts, but I knew that this was one I wanted to have after hearing the show-stopping “Eddie Rode The Orphan Train”. It brought a lump to my throat and a moistness to my eyes. Of course, if anyone noticed, I’d just blame it on the smoky atmosphere of the room.
The concert was another production by the wonderful Gilded Palace Of Sin who also did their bit for local music after Jim Roll had finished by playing the newest song from Salter Cane. Yay! Download your copy now.