Somewhere Doug Smith is smiling. The late KRSH DJ would be proud of his old booking partner in crime, Bill Bowker, who threw a helluva roots-rock party at the Last Day Saloon last night.
The concept for the KRSH Big Nite was simple: Stage music in every nook and cranny at the Railroad Square club. St. Peterbilt kicked it off in the bar with a heavy dose of honky tonk and 18-wheeler rockabilly that moved people more than any other set.
If you didn't stake out seats in the VIP room (that funky mezzanine through-the-looking-glass space overlooking the dance floor), there was no chance of squeezing in to see folk birds Audrey Auld-Mezera and Nina Gerber. Although, watching it from behind them, in the main room looking through the glass, offered a surreal vantage of the crowd, more like backstage looking in. Only thing missing: Sound piped in over the main-room speakers.
The main room featured old souls -- recent Black Keys collaborator Patrick Sweany and Jesse DeNatale (channeling his best Van Morrison spooning Bob Dylan), who both preferred sitting and stewing over their roots rather than standing.
The documentary "Before the Music Dies," spotlighting loads of raw footage of local son Doyle Bramhall II, was screening throughout the bar. Bowker mentioned he's trying to score a screening at Rialto Cinemas (Ky Boyd, you listening?). I ran into Doyle's mom, who described her son as a mellow family man these days (he's even taught her how to order off the menu at swanky restaurants).
Surreal moment of the night: San Diego singer-songwriter Steve Poltz outside on the sidewalk before the show explaining his new song "Sewing Machine." Something about people getting sewn to the wall and then along comes this kid savior with scissors for hands (sound familiar?) and frees them by cutting them down. Maybe I got it wrong. This I know: It came out of another impromptu free-association songwriting session with his bud Austin singer-songwriter (and former Sandra Bullock chew toy) Bob Schneider. It's how he dreamt up that "I Killed Walter Matthau" ditty.
Reprising his stream of conscious session at the Russian River Brew Co. the night before, Poltz's set was hilarious, especially the schizophrenic dialogue with a pre-programmed digital recorder. Ditto songs about baseball, church and punk rock and former collaborator Jewel.
Sold-out trolling moment of the night: Two fratty dudes at the door, begging Last Day owner Dave Daher, "Come on, just let us walk through and look for ladies."
Daher: "Sorry, it's not my show."
And while I thought it was a great show(kudos to the KRSH), there's always a devil's advocate: A woman outside smoking (within the illegal range of the front door, Daher pointed out) couldn't stop complaining: "No one told me it was going to be Suicide Night at the Last Day. I just wanna dance, or at least tap my foot."
Obviously she missed St. Peterbilt.