Lots of traffic snarls, some sleep deprivation, and an unpleasant GI ailment did not prevent me one whit from enjoying two MOTHER performances (shuffle the letters in OTR and HEM) at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia and the Concert Hall of the New York Society of Ethical Culture in Manhattan.

The brace of shows evoked a Cowboy Junkies vibe for me for a variey of reasons. For one thing, Hem reminds me a bit of early Junkies, and Sally's stories about how slow and sad Hem's songs are similar to Margo Timmins' tongue-in-cheek remarks about their repertoire. In addition, Over the Rhine have toured with Cowboy Junkies in the past, and my only other visit to each of the venues was for a Cowboy Junkies concert. Finally, and fittingly, the music of Townes van Zandt was played over the house speakers before each show. Enough...

These shows, coincidentally, were the 9th and 10th time I've seen each of the two bands. I like Hem a bit more, but I've seen great shows and less-than-great shows by each band (happily, no bad shows). Over the last two nights, I happened to enjoy the closing act more, but all four sets were quite nice, with each band varying the song selections a bit.

The Theatre of Living Arts is one of those grubby clubs that can be a good place or a horrible place to see a show, depending on crowd behavior and bar noise. Tuesday, it was very good. I had a seat in the fith row, but it was all the way to one side, so I opted to grab a seat in the front of the balcony, affording a great view, and after a few songs, fine, fine sound.

The NY venue is a church, and I thought the sound was quite good there as well, although it needed tweaking for a few songs. It had a real piano, as opposed to the electric piano employed at the TLA.

I was unable to tell which band was the better draw. Response to both bands was very good both nights, although it was sad to see empty seats each night.

Over the Rhine:
Karin Bergquist - vocals, guitar, shaky things
Linford Detweiller - piano, guitar, bass
Rick Plant - guitar, bass
Devon Ashley - drums

Hem
Sally Ellyson - vocals
Dan Messe - piano
Steve Curtis - guitar, mandolin, vocals
Gary Maurer - guitar, mandolin, harmonica, tambourine
Bob Hoffnar - pedal steel
George Rush - bass
Mark Brotter - drums
Dawn Landes - vocals, glockenspiel (NYC only)
Heather Zimmerman - violin (NYC)
(it was a nice surprise, although in retrospect not all that surprising, to see the last two added to the shows - some songs would not have been as good, or even possible, without them)

The songs:
June 13
HEM
Golden Day
Rainy Night in Georgia
Fire Thief (loved this one from the first time I heard it, live before it was released)
Lucky
Lazy Eye
Reservoir (very nice new song)
Leave Me Here (wow - I've heard this several times this year!)
Dance With Me Now Darling
Strays
Jackson
Pacific Street
Carry Me Home (always a bright spot)
Don’t Fence Me In (not sure if this is the title of this OLD song...really liked it)
Not California (another good new song)
Half an Acre

OTR
Long Lost Brother
Hometown Boy (great howling!)
Born
Lookin’ Forward
Suitcase
I’m on a Roll
Entertaining Thoughts (an odd sort of a John Fogerty feel to this one)
I Don’t Wanna
Linford solo - Story about blind piano player>>Unspoken Requests (not sure if that is the title to this instrumental)
Lifelong Fling
Trouble
Show Me
Drunkard’s Prayer
Encore:
Cruel and Pretty
When I Go
2nd Encore:
Hush Now

June 14
OTR
Trouble
I Want You to be My Love (song I missed most the first night)
Born
Lookin’ Forward
I’m on a Roll
Entertaining Thoughts
Little Did I Know
Suitcase
Show Me
Drunkard’s Prayer
Encore:
Lifelong Fling
When I Go

HEM
Golden Day
Rainy Night in Georgia
Fire Thief
Lucky
My Father’s Waltz (nice work by Heather)
Reservoir
Leave Me Here
Hollow (not many songs can trump Leave Me Here)
Lazy Eye
Old Adam (a favorite new one of mine)
Pacific Street
Don’t Fence Me In
Carry Me Home
Not California
Half an Acre
Encore:
Waltz (very, very nice!)
Jackson
Dance With Me, Now Darling