Been to many Flatlanders and Jimmie Dale Gilmore shows since the early 90's. I expect to hear the standard, colorful Americana music I love, enjoy the interaction between the band members, and tolerate Jimmie Dale Gilmore's now tired shtick about digressing. Jimmie was surprisingly reserved and kept his rambling monologues to a minimum, which made for a more pleasant show. Joe Ely was impressive with his guitar work and solos, especially when the backup band was dismissed and the three Flatlanders played acoustic from bar stools. I had high hopes for this part, but found Butch Hancock taking up way too much time with his bizarre song choices and had to mark time until Jimmie and Joe played again. Butch's songs are almost all Sesame Street wordplay on opposites (I was up now I'm down....love the earth and the sky...things are crooked but some are straight......trees grow high but roots are deep.....blah blah blah) and are tiring. I do love his guitar work though. I was taken back by how many people left the show early during this part of the show. On one hand, the show needs something more as I left convinced I'll pass when the Flatlanders come through town next year. On the other, there were easily a thousand (?) gray haired folks in the crowd just like me, who come every year and plunk down $50 each to see the same show over and over. That probably happens in 50 cities every year. If the Flatlanders never gain another fan, and with shows like this they won't, I'm pretty sure their business model works and they will fill road houses until the day they die. That said, with such a deep catalog of really poetic music, why play novelty nonsense like "Pay the Alligator"?
