Monday, July 2, 2001
By GENE STOUT
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER POP MUSIC CRITIC
It isn't often that a surprise guest is truly a surprise.
When Dave Matthews, the current colossus of rock, strolled on stage to sing a duet with Emmylou Harris on Friday night at Pier 62/63, the crowd shrieked at the sight of the low-key star from Charlottesville, Va. Matthews, who has sold out three shows at The Gorge in late August, didn't say a word as he joined Harris on the romantic song "My Antonia." Matthews is featured as Harris' duet partner on her current album, "Red Dirt Girl," but the live duet might never have happened if Matthews hadn't been spending a lot of time in Seattle while his wife, Ashley, who is expecting twins, attends medical school. Matthews lent his coarse, distinctive baritone to the song about a woman "with dark eyes and the palest of skin." Harris later thanked him for "his graciousness and generosity."
Matthews' appearance was part of a long, enchanting evening at the Pier. Joined by her band, Spyboy (featuring guitarist/mandolinist Buddy Miller, bassist Tony Hall and drummer Brady Blade), Harris performed more than 20 songs, many filled with longing and despair. She focused on songs from "Red Dirt Girl" and her Grammy-winning 1995 album, "Wrecking Ball."
Harris opened her show with "The Pearl," a philosophical tune from the new album, followed by "Where Will I Be" from "Wrecking Ball." The sound was so clear that her serene vocals floated gracefully over the instrumentation. Her voice was especially sweet on "Wrecking Ball," written by Neil Young, and "Red Dirt Girl," a tragic tale about the death of a beloved brother in the Vietnam War. "Bang the Drum Slowly," written with Guy Clark, also explored the emotional wreckage of Vietnam.
One of the catchiest new songs, the Patty Griffin-penned "One Big Love," was among the early highlights. Her beautiful version of Gram Parsons' "Hickory Wind" served as a tribute to her one-time collaborator. "Deeper Well," a bluesy rocker, highlighted bassist Hall's muscular style. Though her songs were melancholy, she lightened the mood with frequent quips. The Mariners, whose president, Chuck Armstrong, was in the audience, was a favorite topic. "You guys are disgusting," she teased after announcing a Mariners win. "You're ahead of everyone."
Harris closed with an encore that began with the Townes Van Zandt classic "Poncho and Lefty." Opening act was singer-songwriter Joe Henry.