The Jayhawks at Brooklyn Bowl
photo by Lou Montesano

The Jayhawks played two nights at Brooklyn Bowl (night 1 pics & review)

“We don’t do a lot of talking,” Gary Louris told Jayhawks fans on night one of the band’s two-night stand at Brooklyn Bowl. “We have too many songs we want to play.”

With ten albums recorded over 35 years, The Jayhawks certainly have plenty of great songs. Since they last performed at Brooklyn Bowl in January 2019, Louris and crew have recorded a new album scheduled for late Spring release. Kicking things off on Friday night with the familiar “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me,” The Jayhawks previewed some of their new songs, reprised favorites and even covered a few surprising classics.

Opening for the Hawks was The Mastersons, husband and wife Chris and Eleanor. The duo often supports Steve Earle on tour, but they definitely have their own sound with Chris on guitar and Eleanor’s angelic voice and multi-instrumental talents. The Mastersons also have a new album, No Time for Love Songs, just released earlier in the day (March 6).

The Jayhawks have had some dormant periods and personnel changes over their many years, but the current lineup (Louris on guitar and harmonica, Karen Grotberg on keys, Tim O’Reagan on drums, Marc Perlman on bass and multi-string player John Jackson) have been together for a while now and have really honed their sound. Louris is the frontman, but all of the members pitch in on vocals, as well as contribute to the band’s songwriting. In addition to songs old and new from their catalog (“Waiting for the Sun,” “I’d Run Away,” “Save it for a Rainy Day,” “Blue” and “Quiet Corners and Empty Spaces’), The Jayhawks shared “Living in a Bubble” from their soon-to-be-released album and covered Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe.”

The Jayhawks are winding down the current leg of their tour before starting up again in April with shows in Milwaukee, Chicago and throughout Texas. All dates are listed, along with setlists for both Brooklyn Bowl shows, below.

SETLIST: The Jayhawks @ Brooklyn Bowl 3/6/2020 (via)
I’m Gonna Make You Love Me
The Man Who Loved Life
Lovers of the Sun
Waiting for the Sun
A Break in the Clouds
Living in a Bubble
Tampa to Tulsa
Across My Field
Backwards Women
Pretty Roses in Your Hair
Trouble
Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces
Bottomless Cup
Tailspin
All the Right Reasons
Save It for a Rainy Day
Two Hearts
This Forgotten Town
I’d Run Away
Blue

Encore:
Angelyne
Ode to Billie Joe (Bobbie Gentry cover)
Until You Came Along (Golden Smog cover)
Bad Time (Grand Funk Railroad cover)

SETLIST: The Jayhawks @ Brooklyn Bowl 3/7/2020 (via)
I’m Gonna Make You Love Me
Ain’t No End
Lovers of the Sun
Waiting For The Sun
Living In a Bubble
Tampa to Tulsa
Somewhere in Ohio
Nothing Left to Borrow
Smile
Settled Down Like Rain
Haywire
All the Right Reasons
Save It for a Rainy Day
Gonna Be a Darkness
Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces
Clouds
I’d Run Away
Blue

Encore:
Broken Harpoon
Ode to Billie Joe (Bobbie Gentry cover)
Big Star
Bad Time (Grand Funk Railroad cover) (with The Mastersons)

The Jayhawks – 2020 Tour Dates
Thu, APR 16 Englert Theatre Iowa City, IA w/ The Mastersons
Fri, APR 17 Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee, WI w/ The Mastersons
Sat, APR 18 Maurer Hall – Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, IL w/ The Mastersons
Sun, APR 19 Maurer Hall – Old Town School of Folk Music (matinee show) Chicago, IL w/ The Mastersons
Sun, APR 19 Maurer Hall – Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, IL w/ The Mastersons
Wed, MAY 6 Granada Theater Dallas, TX w/ The Mastersons
Thu, MAY 7 Sam’s Burger Joint San Antonio, TX w/ The Mastersons
Fri, MAY 8 3TEN ACL Live Austin, TX w/ The Mastersons
Sat, MAY 9 3TEN ACL Live Austin, TX w/ The Mastersons
Sun, MAY 10 House of Blues Houston Houston, TX
Fri, MAY 29 Sala Apolo Barcelona, Spain
Sat, MAY 30 Espacio Las Armas Zaragoza, Spain
Tue, JUN 2 Moon Valencia Valencia, Spain
Thu, JUN 4 Ochoymedio Madrid, Spain
Fri, JUN 5 BBK Music Legends Festival Bilbao, Spain
Sat, JUN 6 Pazo da Cultura de Pontevedra Pontevedra, Spain
Thu, JUN 18 Neptune Theatre Seattle, WA w/ Those Pretty Wrongs
Fri, JUN 19 Revolution Hall Portland, OR w/ Those Pretty Wrongs
Sat, JUN 20 The Chapel San Francisco, CA w/ Those Pretty Wrongs
Sun, JUN 21 The Chapel San Francisco, CA w/ Those Pretty Wrongs
Sun, SEP 13 Moon River Festival September 12-13 Chattanooga, TN w/ Sheryl Crow, Nickel Creek, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Dawes, Indigo Girls

photos and review by <http://www.stillrock.net”>Lou Montesano