Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: 140 - 2014

140
20140315 Portland OR
Chartjunk
Scattegories
Lariat
The hook
Share the red
Tigers
The janitor revealed
Shibboleth
J Smoov
JoJo's jacket
Cinnamon & lesbians
Asking price
Stick figures in love
Out of reaches
Houston Hades
Surreal teenagers
Jenny & the Ess-dog
Stereo
Mother of pearl
Baby C'mon

Two week later the tour passes Portland – not at the Crystal Ballroom this time, but in open air. The band is ready for an outstanding performance. You can hear it when Stephen thanks the crowd 'in advance' before they've played a single note. They want it. They get close, but after a couple of songs it becomes clear the show will stay in the 'very good' range. That's the impression that hits me somewhere around the fourth song (a surprise performance of 'The hook', but they can't bend the spontaneous moment into something outstanding). And that's the way it stays. Totally enjoyable, but no landmark. During the final stretch the set flirts with greatness a couple of times: the long jam at the end of 'Houston Hades', a 'stand up comedy' 'Jenny and the Ess-dog', a good Roxy Music cover – these add some unpredictability, some risk to the mood.

A very good Jicks set is still... pretty great. The setlist is in line with the tour program, but today they've decided to dig into the self-titled debut for a change. With three songs from the album it almost rivals 'Mirror traffic''s four songs. There are nice touches scattered throughout. If I'd been in the audience I would've been perfectly happy. But in retrospect I just can't help comparing it to the november 2013 Crystal Ballroom set, which is one of the great Jicks sets. In march 2014 they reach for it, but they can't win 'em all.

One note: Stephen mentions his cello teacher couldn't make the show. Cello teacher ?!