Your mama is a jam band....

Don't know what that means, but it is scrawled on the paper towel dispenser in the basement bathroom of the Iron Horse Music Hall last night where we ventured to see Sarah Borges and her Broken Singles. For clarity, they were performing upstairs in the music hall, not in the basement bathroom. SB&BS had been at Cafe Nine the previous night, but the post-11pm show time made the trip north to Northampton the more attractive option. I thought of power napping and sneaking down on Friday, but a Friday afternoon of golf at Tallwood and an early Saturday starting time at Timberlin nixed that idea.

The features that make Keith, Sharie and The Reet dislike Cafe Nine (small, crowded, limited seating, difficult sight lines, etc.) are what I love about it. It has a chaotic, yet relaxed feel to it - it's the "Musicians' Living Room!" But, I must admit, those late showtimes are wearing. So, off to the Iron Horse Music Hall (with its 7pm showtimes) we go. Doors open at 5:30, so we plan to get there around five to grab a well-situated table in front, not too close to the stage. While standing in line, bassist Binky pops out and chats with us for a bit, noting that they missed us Friday night at Cafe Nine. I feel obligated to tell him of the showtimes dilema. He nods sympathetically. We agree that Northampton is a great place to stroll around; Binky tells of a great record store, Dynamite Records on Main Street (yes, he had visited Turn It Up!) that I should check out.

Once inside, we order up some drinks (Harp Lager for me, Corona for Sharie, diet Pepsis for Keith/The Reet) and food (black bean burrito, don't remember the rest, sorry) and wait for opening act, John Cate & the Van Gogh Brothers. Cate, who looks a bit like a cross between John Denver and Randy Newman, plays some good country/rock type material together with bandmates Paul Candilore (electric guitars and backing vocals) and Steve Latt (pedal steel guitar, fiddle & mandolin). According to the website there are more members, but tonight there are hired guns on bass (from the Lonesome Brothers) and drums. Keith gives them a "they were okay, but he tries too hard to be Dylan" review. I loved Latt's mandolin/fiddle playing. To be fair, a half-hour set doesn't allow for much variety.

Short break allows for the usual tasks- bathroom, drink refills, opening act reviews. Also a chance to say hello to The Headliner, who ALSO mentions that we had not been at Cafe Nine last night. My plea of Yankees game fares poorly, but Sarah gives me a pass on the late night. Introduced me to Ron Borges, retired mail carrier, avid golfer and very proud papa, with whom I chat until showtime.

We've seen the band quite a few times now - Peter and I at the Narrows Center, Cafe Nine about four times with various groups of friends, up in Cambridge with friends/family at the Lizard Lounge and with Garrett at Joe's Pub in Manhattan in June. The Music Hall is not filled, as it was when we caught James Hunter, and Keith is disappointed. But the crowd is respectable, if laid back. The songlist is quite familiar, both from an album and concert perspective, but a new song is showcased along with a very nice Charlie Pride number. It's great fun, with the Sarah/Binky banter and all, but I'd selfishly love to see them stretch out more on some of the songs instead of sticking to the album version. I'm glad that Mike Castellana is now taking his guitar solos standing instead of sitting behind his pedal steel - it's only rock 'n roll, Mike! Okay, maybe it's alt-country or whatever, but you gotta stand. The single off Diamonds in the Dark is The Day We Met, but my recent favorite is Stop And Think It Over, which Sarah does much better than Mary Weiss (lead singer of The Shangrilas), who performed it on Letterman. Great driving-in-my-car fare. Dave, give Sarah equal time! The set must end by nine since there is another show at ten. Sharie voices her pleasure with the encore choice - Open Up Your Back Door. Deadpan.

Keith, pick you up at 7am for our 7:37am starting time. Night all.

Sarah is the second of three great concert dates on my schedule. Saw Ben Harper with Jonathan/Garrett at Radio City Music Hall and booked to see Lucinda Williams at Town Hall on October 4 with Keith/Sharie.