The Jayhawks brought their unique blend of Midwest Americana to the Austin City Limits 3TEN Live venue on Saturday, Dec. 4th in a highly-anticipated show rescheduled from 2020 due to Covid 19. For the mostly middle-aged crowd of 300 or so, it was a rare treat to hear this veteran group from Minneapolis fly through material spanning over 30 years on this second of a three-night run.
Opening act, The Mastersons, a husband and wife duo from Brooklyn but now based out of L.A., set the mood with a solid, folksy set leaning heavily on their tight, soaring harmonies. Their song, "Fight" offered a glimpse into life off the road during the shutdown ("I only want to fight with you") and was especially noteworthy.
The Jayhawks kicked off their set with "I'm Going to Make You Love Me" sounding like the veterans they are and making it look effortless. Frontman Gary Louris's vocals were sweet and clear as his vintage Gibson SG guitar went from a tame jangle to full-on fuzz and he re-created his classic solos note for note.
Louris -- a formidable songwriter -- has had his songs recorded by many artists over the years, many of which were included in the 2018 Jayhawks release, "Back Roads and Abandoned Motels." Set highlights include "Everybody Knows" which was co-written with and recorded by The Dixie Chicks, and "There's Gonna Be a Darkness", co-written with and recorded by Jakob Dylan of The Wallflowers.
In addition to hummable, bittersweet songs of love, loneliness and loss, it's the three-part harmonies between Louris, keyboardist Karen Grotberg and drummer Tim O'Reagan that really set the band apart. O'Reagan took on lead vocal duties on a few songs allowing Louris to take the high harmony part, which is his forte.
With their low-key, self-effacing on-stage banter -- Louris states, "That one's a real downer" after "There's Gonna Be a Darkness" -- the band will never be accused of whipping a crowd into a frenzy. However, the Jayhawks' mild-mannered approach to stagecraft succeeded in putting the crowd at ease and keeping them engaged during their 18-song performance.
The Mastersons joined the Jayhawks for a three-song encore, their harmonies blending perfectly while the added electric guitar and mandolin brought the evening to a jubilant end.