Jonathan Wilson, Dawes and Jackson Browne at The Borderline

Jonathan Wilson with special guest Jackson Browne

Dawes

The Borderline, 20 July 2011

After years of going to gigs sometimes you think you've seen it all and then something happens to totally surprise you. Like going to see two largely unknown artists in a tiny club for just seven quid and having a rock legend, who you paid £50 to see in a huge venue a couple of years ago, turn up and turn a great gig into one of the best shows of the year. Thanks to the appearance of the legendary Jackson Browne about halfway through this is one gig I won't be forgetting soon.

But I'm getting ahead of myself and the show (although mostly it was) wasn't all about Jackson, thankfully the two other acts were worth seeing too, particularly opening band Dawes. I must admit I had heard of Dawes but had never listened to their music before so their set came as a pleasant surprise. Funnily enough they remind me a lot of Jackson Browne, particularly the clever, scene-setting lyrics that tell little stories of life and California, but the guitar solos, provided by singer-songwriter Taylor Goldsmith, are straight out of the Stephen Stills book. The whole sound is classic Laurel Canyon in fact, something I couldn't love more. Listening to them I can imagine someone like Linda Ronstadt picking their songs to sing alongside ones from Warren Zevon and J.D. Souther back in the 70s. They then win my heart completely by playing a spirited cover of Little Feat's Long Distance Love, with drummer Griffin Goldsmith providing vocals. But the best moment of their set, requested by an enthusiastic member of the audience (although probably on their set list regardless), is the centrepiece of their new album Nothing Is Wrong, Fire Away which ends in a scorching guitar solo definitely worthy of The Allman Brothers.

There's a big buzz surrounding headlining act, Jonathan Wilson, who is seen as the face of the new Laurel Canyon music scene: he's not only being lauded for his new album (which is his official debut despite being 36 years old) but he's also been collaborating with people like Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Erykah Badu, and producing the likes of Mia Doi Todd, Jason Boesel (formerly of Rilo Kiley), J. Tillman of Fleet Foxes and his support and backing band tonight, Dawes. Basically, although pretty much unknown here in the UK, back home in the Canyon he's a big deal. Which explains why he's the headline act tonight despite being less exciting live and lesser known than Dawes. But that's not to say he's not good, he is very definitely that. Sporting an army shirt and black jean ensemble, that along with his long hair makes him look like an early 70s Neil Young, he definitely looks the part and has the guitar chops to impress any musician. But while Dawes focus more on chorus and lyrics, Wilson is definitely more about atmosphere and groove than the more melodic sound of his backing band's own material. There's a little more of a Grateful Dead feel as the band jam away through groovy guitar riffs and funky drumming. Only on one song does the band abandon him for a sole acoustic number and we finally hear more of his voice, which is stronger than the more instrumental numbers that preceded it suggested.

But then things really get great as Dawes return to the stage and Wilson introduces his special guest, Mr Jackson Browne. Since The Borderline is a pretty tiny venue and I'm right at the front, it's pretty amazing to be so close to this legend, surely one of the best singer-songwriters to emerge from the classic era of the whole Laurel Canyon music scene of the 60s and 70s. His hair (styled exactly as it was back in the 1970s) may be graying and the face a little more lined, but for a guy in his 60s he looks remarkedly preserved. You wonder why a guy who can sell out the Royal Albert Hall (which is where I saw him play a couple of years ago) is popping up as special guest at tiny club shows of these two artists (because apparently he's been accompanying them quite a few times this year) but the reason why soon becomes apparent: he's a huge fan of Wilson, praising his favourite songs of his, and obviously having a ball going back to his roots and playing these no-frills, intimate shows where he's not the main focus. It's pretty nice to see someone of his stature letting his ego take the backseat. First of all he strums away in the background on Gentle Spirit, the title track of Wilson's new album, but then we are treated with one of Jackson's greatest and most classic tracks, These Days, first made famous when chanteuse Nico first sang it back in the 60s. "God I love that song," Wilson comments into the microphone, echoing what we are all feeling, but the moment of unintentional fawning instead causes much amusement between himself, Taylor Goldsmith and Jackson. But it really is amazing to hear it played so beautifully in such an intimate setting by such a great band.

But things then really get magical when they play a song by the late, great Warren Zevon, Jackson's old friend who he is often credited with discovering, the incredibly moving Mohammed's Radio, easily one of my favourite Zevon songs ever and greeted by whoops of joy by the appreciative crowd. It sounds incredible sung by Jackson. It's funny too, my only disappointment when I saw Jackson play a couple of years ago was that, unlike other nights on the tour, he didn't play any Zevon covers but he more than makes up for it tonight with three in all and all amazing, first-rate examples of why Zevon is one of the most underrated artists from that scene. Firstly, there's a storming and overwhelmingly fun version of Lawyers, Guns And Money and then a fantastic take on Play It All Night Long with Jackson, Taylor and Jonathan all taking a verse each and joining in with great smiles on the chorus. Not surprisingly one encore isn't enough for the crowd and even though the lights come up and the music comes on signalling us all to leave, no one is having it and the constant, unwavering roar for more eventually draws them back on and we're rewarded with a triumphant, awe-inspiring version of Take It Easy, that everyone in the audience seems to be singing along to, segueing into the beautiful Our Lady Of The Well. Needless to say at the end I made my way through a sea of grinning, radiantly happy faces, mine included. This really was an amazing show.