At 10:45 p.m. this past Tuesday, Dan Bern took the stage in the "Upstairs" backroom of the Middle East. The crowd went wild. Three girls standing directly in front of the folk artist screamed and cheered Bern's every word. They also blew smoke up into his face, but when asked after the show if they'd bothered him, Bern replied, "If I wasn't interested in people having a visceral response, I wouldn't have a band."
Bern's husky voice and Dylan-esque lyrics have made him famous in the folk music genre - his independent spirit, quirky poetry, and amusing jokes have made him the favorite of folk audiences. This concert lived up to all expectations. Dan's paint-spattered flannel shirt and loose jeans could hardly cover the talent shining from his smiling face.
With Bern promoting his freshly minted album, New American Language, many of the songs were new to listeners. This is generally true of any Bern concert, however, as he writes songs much faster than he can record them. Among the novel tunes performed were the album's the title track, "Black Tornado," "Rice," "Thanksgiving Day Parade," and the haunting "God Said No."
It was during this last song that the screamers were finally silent for a period of more than 30 seconds. The lyrics were softer, the rest of the band (keyboard, electric and bass guitars, and drums) silent, and the crowd eager to respect this unforgettable song: "I asked God/ Do one thing for me/ Send me back in time/ Send me to Berlin/ Let me find/ The one they call Hitler./ I will stalk him./ I will bring him down./ I will bring along/ a powerful gun/ Loaded with bullets./ Obliterate his memory./ God said No."
The conclusion of the song found tears and screams intermingled in the audience. To take the intensity down a notch, Bern proceeded with a Paul McCartney impression, saying, "Now we're going to play a little something off one of our first records, from before you were born." Laughter mixed with the intro chords of "Too Late to Die Young," a song that Dan marched to as he strummed his acoustic guitar.
The concert concluded - after tunes about Marilyn Monroe, Graceland, and a cover of "All My Lovin'" - with the encore "Jerusalem." A crowd sing-along bolstered the lone Bern on stage. As soon as the lights dimmed, fans surged forward to grab a minute's attention from the artist. It was nearly 1 a.m. before the crowd thinned out.
Opening the show was James O'Brien, locally known for his slashing guitar skills and poignant political songs. O'Brien began the evening like a bullet shot straight into the heart of the listening crowd. His up-close-and-personal new song "You Are the War" clearly portrayed his political leanings - he's a left-winger at heart. O'Brien proceeded to tear the house down with his high-energy, intense guitar riffs, aided by drummer Dylan Callahan to pound songs into the bodies of his listeners. Literally sitting at his feet were new disciples, committing every word to memory.
Dan Bern will be appearing again at the Iron Horse venue in Northampton later this month. For more information, check out www.danbern.com.
