Midway through Justin Townes Earle’s Thursday night set at a packed upstairs Fitzgerald’s, a husky, bearded dude slipped past me to the front row whispering “Excuse me, I just gotta talk to Justin…” Smash cut to a dead silent venue as our guy hollered at Justin at the top of his lungs – “Hey, Justin! These people say I’m cheering too loud, but let me tell you, I know how to play all your songs! I am your number one fan!! Number one!! Tell me, am I cheering too loud?” “You kinda are now!” replied a nonplussed Earle.

Hit the jump for the full recap.

– sunbear

Okay, now that I’ve gotten to use the word “nonplussed” in a sentence, on to the actual show. If you’ve ever seen Earle in person, or in a list of GQ’s “25 Most Stylish Men,” you’d know how intimidatingly dapper the dude is. From his chambray jacket and pants he pulled out of the Billy Reid store he calls his closet, to the red linen handkerchief he jammed into his breast pocket, Earle looked strikingly like Harrison Ford’s Professor Henry Jones Jr. in Raiders of the Lost Ark. But all them dandy duds can’t save Earle from his awkward gait when he performs, back hunched over at a mic stand that’s way too short, shuffling feet scooting him around the stage. For a guy who casts a staggering 6’6” shadow, his movements are nothing slender and spry. His picking hand’s fingers are mighty nimble, though.

The guitar work of Earle on songs like the opener “They Killed John Henry,” his Lightning Hopkins cover of “I Been Burnin’ Bad Gasoline,” and set closer “Halfway to Jackson” was unparalleled. Some crafty Travis picking and Earle was playing lead melody and basslines all at once, which gave those few solo songs he performed a real mark of musicianship. But backed with a full band, comprised of slide guitar, upright bass, and drums, Earle’s songs really had room to breathe. The band played loose and shuffly, lending forefront to Earle’s melancholy, but mostly desolate lyrics.

“Fried chicken and women – that’s good subject matter…” rambled Earle before “Still Waitin’,” – fried chicken has caused me a lot less problems, and a lot less money.” Earle’s stage banter is as funny as it is telling. One minute he can brush off the loss of a woman with “This is about the one that got away, which in my case was a damn good thing” then the next minute, pouring out lines like “So drink up babe and try to push me out cause nothing’s gonna change the way you feel about me now.” Sometimes a little humor can get you through some real rough patches.

The entirety of the night, Earle had the whole upstairs Fitz eating out the palm of his hand with his earnest, heart aching songs and the lightheartedness of his nonchalant joking. He knew what we came for, indulging us with a brisk performance of crowd favorite “Black Eyed Suzy” and allowing us to shit on Dallas. Seriously, what’s with Houston’s blind hatred for Dallas? I bet you anything we are not even a blip on their snobby radar. Nearly an hour and a half after he started, Earle excused himself to indulge in a cigarette before returning to the stage and closing out the night with his car hoppin’ railroad ode “Halfway to Jackson.” And what an appreciative crowd he had too, easily doubling in size and enthusiasm from his previous visit 2 years ago. We might not have been as bold as ole beardy at the beginning of this tale, but there’s no doubt that we all could have professed an undying love for Justin Townes Earle that night.

SETLIST

They Killed John Henry
Passin’ Through Memphis In The Rain
Look the Other Way
One More Night in Brooklyn
Ain’t Glad I’m Leaving
Baby’s Got a Bad Idea
Maria
Ain’t Waiting
Am I That Lonely
I Been Burnin’ Bad Gasoline (Lightning Hopkins cover)
Wanderin’
Harlem River
Black Eyed Suzy
Nothing’s Gonna Change
Lower East Side
Christchurch Woman
Mama’s Eyes
Can’t Hardly Wait

Movin’ On
Halfway to Jackson