Of all Arlo Guthrie's achievements at the family celebration for Woody's Centennial, the greatest: during a set in which he covered his own Great Grandmother as well as had his Grandchildren sing with him, Arlo did so without one ounce of sentimentality or pathos.
Forget that, except for the Bragg/Wilco stuff, the music was singularly beautiful, and forget that Woody Guthrie is a great American hero of the Great Depression, and a friend to the working class, forget that we are given to celebrate such a pioneer of the American spirit, Arlo Guthrie, in refusing to give into the emotion of the evening, made it all so much better. Arlo was a good story teller, a fine MC, a smart friend, and he trusted his audience to respond appropriately.
But whether looking over his Grandkids and muttering, "I don't know who half of them are" or warning his kid sister "Don't break the microphone", or even the very first story he tells. "My Daddy wrote 100s or songs but he only had one hit, his cousin , Jack Guthrie recorded a country version without Dad's permission. The first time he heard it, he spent all afternoon putting money in the jukebox, and telling strangers 'That's a real good song'." Woody was right, "Oklahoma Hills" is a real good song, and the Guthrie family sing it very sweet, Arlo, his daughters, son-in-law or other members of the troops, play county, folk, children's songs and even country-rock when they reach the Mermaid Avenue music, are very good for the entire evening. This is all performed with professionalism and ease, it's so simple and flowing, it is like an extended act of grace. A hootenanny and a bonfire and a jamboree.
This goes for the decision on the setlist. Sure, the penultimate moment was "This Land Is Our Land", but as tributes go, it doesn't even attempt to be a retrospective. It flits and starts, a coupla outlaw tunes, some Arlo hits, two songs by his daughter Cathy (and Willie's daughter Amy Nelson) duo Folk Uke. When something goes wrong he shrugs it off with "Pete Seeger also said don't over rehearse". And when it goes right, which it does constantly, he doesn't really acknowledges it.
Highlights abound.
Arlo tells a very funny story about his wife being arrested for possession at the airport before dedicating a blistering "Coming Into Los Angeles" (You know: "don't touch my bags if you please Mr. Customs Man") to her, much closer to Arlo's original recorded version than the one he performed at Woodstock. "Steve Goodman's "City Of New Orleans" has Arlo telling us about the benefits her performed during the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, taking the famous train from Illinois all the way to Louisiana. And "All Over The World", from the "Occupy This Album" benefit album.
The Guthrie Family play Woody's songs very well, but there is no sense in the evening that we are being schooled in Woody. They assume, accurately, that we know enough about Woody we don't need to be forced fed. They might mention how much Dylan owes him before performing "Pretty Boy Floyd", Dylan stole the best line in the song, but they don't bother and more power to them.
My only problem with he evening, and I realize I am in the minority here, is the Wilco/Bragg co-written songs. I didn't like "Hoodoo Voodoo" when it was first released, I didn't like it Sunday night.
But otherwise, this was pretty wow. Arlo did his father, his family and us, proud.
Grade: A