Chatham County Line’s Holiday Tour’s stop at the Haw River Ballroom – Thoughts
The venue did not allow cameras, and I did not have enough time to try for press Creds so I apologize for the phone shots & vids.
Ever since I knew they existed, I’ve wanted to check out a Chatham County Line Holiday show. They’re adjacent to a lot of music I love, and they’re an integral part of the Raleigh folk scene. There’s a gravitational pull that’s always been there for me – they’ve collaborated with so many of my favorites, Sharon Van Etten among them. Their songwriting, too strikes deep. “Ghost of Woodie Guthrie” is just a stellar track, and just an incredible example of what makes Chatham County Line so important.
Their Christmas shows embody that spirit. They’re collaborative and unpredictable. The aforementioned Sharon Van Etten? They’ve covered “Seventeen” in the past. This year, they brought in guest Johnny Irion and Jay Brown. Irion’s a guy I’ve dug for many, many years, and indirectly led me to becoming a fan of Chatham County Line in the first place.
Irion and Brown joined Chatham County Line for the first few tunes, and it was great hearing all that sound together. Brown played bass, while Irion took time on keys and guitar. They’d leave the stage for four song set so the four regular Chatham County Line members could do their thing.
Brown and Irion then rejoined Chatham County Line, and that’s when the festivities really took off. Irion got to play “Sleeping Soldiers of Love” off his most-recent record of the same name (which also featured The Mother Hips and Jeff Bridges). Jay Brown covered “Boredom” by The Lovin’ Spoonful. And drummer Darren Jessee (long-time drummer for Ben Folds Five) got a turn for a cover of “Lost Cause” by Beck. John Teer, on fiddle, guitar, and whatever he pleases took the lead on a killer cover of “Turn to Stone” by Joe Walsh. Bonnie Raitt’s “Love Sneakin’ Up On You” was lead singer Dave Wilson’s fabulous choice for a cover. These shows have a no-Christmas songs policy, which I appreciate greatly, and leads to unique, and interesting choices.
What truly captivated the audience in that beautiful ballroom on that December evening was the warmth of Chatham County Line’s original music. Playing stuff from throughout their discography, including dusting off old stuff and playing new stuff from an upcoming record. And just seeing John Teer live up to his “Mad Fiddler” nickname in person was so special.
The evening was a celebration of the community. I said before that Irion was indirectly responsible for me becoming a fan of Chatham County Line, and that’s partially due to his being a member of the band Queen Sarah Saturday, along with Zeke Hutchins (former drummer for Sharon Van Etten & Collaborator w/ Chatham County Line), and My Morning Jacket’s long-time sound engineer Ryan Pickett, who was on sound this evening. Hell, the 2010 Chatham County Line Holiday Tour featured Hutchins, Irion, and Brown. It’s amazing that so many years later this community still comes together for a few special evenings each year. Coming down from Philadelphia, I thought maybe I’d feel like an outsider peeking through a window, but instead I felt the musical embrace of a community of musicians who I’ve admired for decades. That’s real holiday magic.
