Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay lights up the stage at the Gothic Theatre. Photos by Eliza Marie Somers (To view a slide show of the concert click here.)
The Gothic Theatre is the perfect setting for a songwriters’ band like Jars of Clay. The art-deco venue is intimate with a sound system that captures the smallest details to perfection.
Jars’ “Two Hands” tour blew into Denver on June 4, and after the concert lead singer Dan Haseltine said it is probably his favorite venue in the metro area. It had to be one of the best shows that I have seen at the Gothic since Joe Jackson a few years back.
Haseltine and Jars of Clay got the show rolling with the ethereal “The Long Fall,” a keyboard heavy instrumental that flowed right into “Weapons.” This tour is heavy on the new album “The Long Fall Back to Earth.” The band played nine tunes from the CD along with favorites, “I Need You,” “Dead Man,” “Love Song,” “Revolution,” and of course “Flood.” But with a new dash of flavor to fans’ old favorites.
Jars moved into “Flood” right after “Hero,” a new song that’s in a Depeche Mode mode — thumping drums, electonica — and incorporated the style into the band’s first hit. It brought surprised smiles from fans as they began bopping and singing along. After the show numerous people said how they enjoyed that the band keeps reinventing its songs.
Reinventing old faves is just one reason to see this band again. Dan’s vocals were spot-on, and the band, as they say, was tight, showing no signs of our high altitude. Something that plagues alot of musicians coming through the Rockies.
And stay tune, I heard they might be heading this way before the end of the year. It’s worth the money, even in this economy.
Seabird opened up for Jars of Clay.