28 July, 1995 - Seattle WA - 5th Avenue Theatre

review by Neil

More than five years after The Winding Sheet was released, Mark Lanegan had very seldom - if ever - performed his solo material in concert. So when it was announced that he would be opening for Johnny Cash (some time after tickets for the show had gone on sale), I immediately dropped what I was doing and rushed out to buy a ticket.

The crowd at the theatre was a weird mix of Screaming Trees fans, big-hatted shit kickers, older folks, and just about every prominent Seattle musician. As people milled about in the lobby and talked, there was a definite sense of anticipation.

I took my seat, but found it hard to sit still - I had been waiting for this since 1990, the time had finally come, and I wasn't really sure what to expect. Any uneasiness quickly went away when Mark took the stage - backed by Mike Johnson and J Mascis (acoustic guitar), Barrett Martin (upright bass), Dave Krueger (violin), and Dan Peters (drums) - and launched into Carnival. Mark and the band continued with (in no particular order) Mockingbirds, Undertow, Ugly Sunday, The Winding Sheet, House A Home, and She's Not For You. Also included was a song that isn't on any of Mark's recordings that I know of; I have no idea what it might have been, but I remember thinking that it sounded like something that he might have found on an old blues or folk record. The set closed with an intense version of Borracho.

Mark looked healthy and sounded very strong. It was refreshing to hear him in an acoustic performance; for once he didn't have to strain to be heard, and the full, stunning power of his voice came through. The crowd as a whole was mostly appreciative, and Mark's fans were genuinely grateful for the opportunity to see him perform. At one point early in the set, a young woman approached the stage and handed him a bouquet of flowers.

Unfortunately, a few loudmouths just didn't get it. But Mark silenced them when he looked in their general direction and barked, "I only do this about once every five years, so why don't you shut the fuck up or go outside."

Johnny Cash followed with an energetic set that included many old favorites and some newer stuff. His singing was strong and his band - some of whom had been playing with him for more than 30 years - sounded very tight. Cash is an amazing entertainer and one of the true legends of American music, and I'm glad I had a chance to see him. But I have to agree with the columnist who wrote in The Stranger that on that night, it was really Mark's show that Cash closed, rather than Cash's show that Mark opened.