Live: Marshall Crenshaw with The Bottle Rockets @ City Winery 8.14.12

After the Hard Skin show the night before, this show rapidly turned into the show after I called in to work and before I hit a work party. I'm not crazy about the City Winery tables and drink minimum vibe they have going, especially in light of the pretty steep ticket pricing, but I am more than willing to see free shows there, especially when the exceedingly aces pairing of Mr. Marshall Crenshaw and Bottle Rockets is on the docket.

Brian didn't make the trip, which proved to be a bit of a bummer, but Bottle Rockets make for a hell of a band whether or not Brian is there singing. His guitar firepower is a wee bit conspicuous in its absence, but the gents have proven to be a pretty aces backing unit for our dear Mr. Crenshaw. My long-term affections still lie with the Graham Maby/Robert Crenshaw power trio incarnation, but this combination is definitely the next best thing.

Things started promptly at 6, with Marshall and the boys romping through a pretty good cross-section of his last 30 years of rocking our ass. While I'm Sorry, But So Is Brenda Lee, didn't find its way into the set, Cynical Girl did, as did Someday and a gang of other songs better than a lot of your favorites.

What started as a somewhat sparse show ended up being pretty damn full at the end. As well it should be and while you certainly couldn't beat the price, it certainly speaks to the Crenshaw drawing power, as this has to be the seventh or eighth time he's played City Winery this year. I'd like to see more shows with the great Graham Maby, but this was a hell of a good time. Props are due to City Winery for doing this series. There are at least a couple more on the docket, so keep your virtual eyes peeled here. Keep track of Marshall here. Bottle Rockets are here.

R