Swedish folkster Tallest Man on Earth opened the show (to a fuller bar than the later JV) and played a rousing set of fingerpicking tunes.  If JV exuded a quiet confidence, Tallest Man on Earth’s was deafening.  In this case, the hyperbolic nature of his name is quite literal.  I was disappointed that he doesn’t play the banjo live, but his live fingerpicked guitar work is just as impressive as it is on the record.

JV started the night off with a cut from 2007’s Emerald City, “Tablespoon of Codeine,” and played a varied set of new and old.  I was eager to see how much old stuff would be represented since he’s touring for the recently released Romanian Names (Dead Oceans).  There’s always something different about a Vanderslice melody, and this night was full of them.  He ended the set by moving his band out on the floor and playing an unplugged version of “Keep the Dream Alive” from 2001’s Time Travel is Lonely (my favorite of his records).  When it was over he looked truly pleased with how the night turned out, thanked everyone for coming and walked around and hugged anyone who would hug him back.

—James Cartwright