Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. (June 28, 1999)
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Joe Strummer
9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
June 28, 1999 |
The anger, the swagger, the humor, the killer stage presence -- everything.
Joe Strummer blew up the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC, to kick off a mini-US club tour that only too few of us Clash fans were able to see.
Taking the stage shortly after 10 pm, Strummer and his band of the luckiest 22-23 year old kids in the world had the crowd in their hands from the get-go. Upon grabbing the mic stand, Strummer casually gave the crowd of Clash fans both old and new a shout and name-dropped local residents Bo Diddley and Fugazi, which is always one way to win a DC crowd. Of course, Strummer didn't need to kiss up to this crowd for anything.
His all-too-short set consisted of a number of new songs as well as a handful of Clash tunes. Strummer played the material with such enthusiasm and zest that it's a wonder he's been off-stage for almost a decade. He showed no signs of rust, no signs of fear, and aside from a slight belly, no signs of age. He could have been 27 years old, rather than his 47. He was crisp, sharp, and damn tight.
As was his band, the Mescaleros. A collection of UK players born and bred on the Clash, the band blistered through the Clash songs with so much gusto that it was obvious that they realized they had the gig they've been dreaming of for years: playing with Joe Strummer. While the set was clearly designed for Joe to relive some of his glory days, the Mescaleros played as brilliant backups to the main attraction.
Adding some new twists to such classics as "Straight To Hell," "Rock The Casbah" and "Bankrobber," the Mescaleros plucked away at the legendary band's songs with a quiet dignity that can be all-too-often left out when a former icon tries to reclaim his glory on his own.
Strummer's new material, while not the focus of the show, certainly went over extremely well with the DC crowd. The songs "X-Ray Style," "Tony Adams," and "Yalla, Yalla" highlighted the new material, all of which is slated to appear on Strummer's solo album due this fall. But even Joe knew the crowd wanted to hear the classics.
"This next song's a new one, its never been played before," Joe told the crowd before playing "Yalla Yalla." "It's a good time to get a piss or a beer, right?"
And do I really have to describe the Clash highlights?
Awesome, simply awesome. A blistering version of "London Calling" opened the Clash set, and a slick version of "White Man In Hammersmith Palais" shortly followed. I've got to tell you, I've never been so close to bliss in my life than when I heard the familiar opening lines, "Midnight to six, man / for the first time from Jamaica." The crowd went nuts. I nearly had an orgasm.
The night's most revealing moment came during Joe's second encore, when he took the stage alone. Donning his famed black Telecaster, Joe hummed the first few bars of "Junco Partner," a cult favourite among Clash fans, before the rest of the band joined in about half-way through the song. As far as I know, Joe Strummer had never taken the stage alone, by himself, before this tour. Maybe it gave him a chance to look at the crowd, feel his way around the jam-packed 9:30 Club.
If he had, he would have seen a rather drunk, obese guy bumping into everyone around him, spilling his beer all over this reviewer, and yelling "Joe, you are the man! The muthafucking man!"
Couldn't have said it better myself.
RODEO ROB | An expert on all things "alt," Rob spends his days covering the energy industry and his nights covering the DC-area bars. Raise yer glass especially high to this man, for he has contributed to this site constantly since its creation four years ago.