The Old 97’s are the fan favorite in San Francisco

July 9. 2009. at the Fillmore Theatre

By Jill Tydor
Published: July 12th, 2009 | 4:00pm

There were no gimmicks, elaborate costumes, thumping, or crescendo beats to usher in the Old 97’s as they took the stage at the Fillmore Theatre in San Francisco. Instead, there were just wild cheers from a packed house — a supportive crowd that commenced rocking with lead vocalist Rhett Miller in his solo opener. In return for their dedication, the Old 97’s delivered a mix of obvious favorites woven in with tracks from their latest release, Blame It On Gravity (New West).

Perhaps Miller put it best when he ended his solo set with, “Up next is the Old 97’s and I hear they’re pretty damn good.” Good is the perfect adjective to describe the group’s reliance less on special effects and more on a solid repertoire of tunes built over their 16-year run. Still, it’s hard to put a label on the band that hovers somewhere in between alt-country and rock.

Even in their stage presence, Miller donned a somewhat neutral, if not alternative/rock ensemble while bass guitarist Murry Hammond sported pearl-snapped western wear. It was fitting then, when Hammond reprieved Miller from lead vocals on the Johnny Cash–esque “W. TX Teardrops”.

Whatever the genre, there still persists a sort of ‘sing-along vibe’ on many of the tracks, many of which were featured prominently during the show. The crowd crooned along with Miller on “The One,” new album title track “Blame It On Gravity,” and perennial favorite “Question,” which was featured on the TV show Scrubs.

For the most part, Miller kept to the center of the stage, as he bantered lightly and plowed through a somewhat lengthy set. But each member got their moment in the sun with tracks that were at times heavy, dark and ripe with electric guitar.

It’s easy to marvel at the stamina the Old 97’s possess: both Hammond and Miller had individual opening sets prior to the group’s stage arrival. During Miller’s truncated opener, in which he performed tracks from his own triad of successful solo albums, he joked and sang with such fever as the sweat poured down his face. It was even more of a subdued affair for Hammond’s country-tinged solo set, but when both returned to the stage for the Old 97’s set, there was a sense of renewed energy.

It’s obvious that there is a symbiotic relationship existing between the band and their fans, and each played astutely off the energy of the other throughout the night. It is a relationship the Old 97’s have fostered throughout their more than decade-long career, as the rockers from Dallas proved they clearly know something about Southern Hospitality.

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Old 97's official site

Old 97's MySpace page

New West Records