“The Living Room of Local Music”: Charlie Parr Settles in at First Avenue Concert

Last updated on May 23rd, 2024 at 07:21 am

Charlie Parr brought his friends along to First Avenue for a cover-to-cover playing of his recently released album Little Sun as well as other popular tracks. And the timeless local legend played a highly personable show that made First Avenue feel a little like home.

Parr often plays solo, or with only two bandmates on guitar and washboard. But this show featured a larger band spread out in a semicircle on the stage.

With only a few monitors on stage, the setting had an open feel and great sight lines for the crowd. And Parr played guitar in his bare feet, sitting next to a table and lamp that added to the gentle homeliness of the evening.

Parr and friends opened the evening with “Portland Avenue,” the lead track to the aforementioned Little Sun. The album features full-band arrangements and leans more towards the blues. Possibly because of the newness or slightly slower nature of some of the songs, the crowd seemed to watch and take things in gently, getting more excited by familiar tunes later on.

The vibe was also slightly impacted by a fan medical emergency in the near-capacity crowd. While some band members noticed–one even seemed to gesture to Parr during a song–he and the band played on while at least one concertgoer was tended to.

Perhaps the most up-tempo track on Little Sun is “Boombox,” and the crowd livened up as it was played right after that fan emergency. At times during the album set, Parr spoke to the audience with gratitude and commented about the living room feel of the stage, and how everyone was a part of the experience

While open and inviting, Parr sat stage left and sang facing the center of the stage as opposed to facing the audience, and that felt ironically less personable. So it was refreshing that he did frequently converse with the crowd to offset that difference in delivery.

After the album’s full-length feature, Parr commented that they would play other songs, and the crowd enthusiastically cheered. Their delight was evident in the first song of the “new” set, “Cheap Wine,” which brought out many phone cameras…even within the slightly older crowd.

The full band also augmented the song, making it sound somewhat more upbeat despite its sorrowful lyrics. With crackerjack bassist Liz Draper switching between upright and electric, tracks like “Falcon,” “1922 Blues,” and the closing “Jubilee” really highlighted the band.

Beats, rhythms, and tempo all were enhanced by the added instruments. While Parr carries himself without detriment on solo guitar, this evening was full of contributions that expanded the horizons of his songs.

The evening was also a real-world-work retirement party for Parr’s frequent band member Mikkel Bee. Bee played his signature washboard throughout the evening and sat beneath a small “happy retirement” sign. His washboard always adds a timeless element to Parr’s music, like listening to music on the living room radio of a small Appalachian home.

Opening the evening was Marisa Anderson, playing solo guitar. Anderson brought 35+ years of guitar-playing talent to the stage for some “apocalyptic” songs that were also inspired by coping with grief. Later in the night, she moved seamlessly into Parr’s band to accompany him.

Also opening was the duo Mama’s Broke, playing on a combination of banjo, fiddle, guitar, and even incorporating clogging. Heartfelt and soulful, the duo of Lisa Marie and Amy Lou Keeler expertly harmonized over their instruments, adding a somber beauty to their ballads. The combined styles of the two opening acts complemented Parr’s set perfectly.

Fans can soon see Parr and Draper at the buzzworthy Berlin in the North Loop of downtown Minneapolis, for an instrumental set as a part of Haley’s May/Be/Sundays residency.