Jayhawks

They were great, tight, it was an enjoyable night. I hope they continue.

Hollywood Town Hall live from beginning to end was excellent. The remaining songs were also good, but maybe not the best selection for the second set.

The show ranged from "average" to "recommended". Olson and Louris harmonized beautifully, but the vocals were often overshadowed by the instruments, especially during louder passages. The setlist was quite good, although I personally would have liked to hear more from "Hollywood Town Hall".

I went to the Jayhawks show with high expectations. They are one of my favourite groups and I was so looking forward to seeing them live in a small venue after hearing about their reunion tour. Unfortunately, the sound system let us down. Gary Louris' guitar was set so loud that they then had to turn up the mikes to maximun power in order to hear the vocals. And then the quality of the vocals made it sound like they were singing through a tin can. Imagine listening to your favourite song on a cheap transistor radio turned to maximum. We moved to the back of the club in order to hear better. That helped a bit but not too much. I noticed that many people were doing the same thing as us as more and more people went to the back. Just the opposite of what you see at most shows. I am not adverse to loud shows. I have come out of a few shows very happy but with ringing ears, but not when it affects the quality of the sound. The Jayhawks are known for their great harmonies but they were wasted. The whole mix was bad as you could not distinguish any bass notes at all and the keyboards were only occassionally heard, The sound people seemed oblivious to everything. There were some enjoyable moments when we tried to ignore the sound quality but they were very few and far between.

The band was great, I didn't know if I would ever get to see the more or less original lineup ever play together; got my vinyl copy of the Bunkhouse record signed by the entire band!!!

It was fabulous to see my all time favorite band The Jayhawks!!! The band sounds just as good as they did in 1987! Always a treat to see those beautiful faces. A very special moment when Norm took to the drums!! I even saw Charlie Pine in the wings. All in all a great reunion on a monday night! Thank You Mark, Gary, Mark, Tim, Karen and special thanks to Norm! XOXO

Fun event...brings back memories of many years ago. Wish they would do it again!

The Jayhawks put on a great demonstration of why they are so beloved by their fans and critcs alike. They are a great band! and last night's show was no exception. But the acoustics afforded by the 1st Ave venue were a great distraction as the bass simply overpowered the music song after song. The only place in the entire club where you could get the music heard properly was on the upper level far stage right. But by the time we found that out the show was nearly over. It ruined what was supposed to be a great show by all standards. I wanted to hear what is their signature sound. A perfect blend of gutairs , keyboards,and harmonies. All that could be heard was overpowering bass for most of the show. Center stage and stage right. I'll go see them again. But I'm staking out my spot early on the upper left. I've seen many shows where I sat last night and never once had this problem. Go figure..??

Of course it's hard to write a review for one of your favorite bands playing at one of your favorite venues. I expected to love it, and guess what? I did! The set featured a balance selection from the band's Olson/Louris days, drawing a surprising number of performances from their earliest two albums. My favorite moments, not surprisingly, came from my favorite album, Hollywood Town Hall. Take Me With You and Waiting for the Sun were near-religious experiences for me! If I could have directed the evening, I'd have loved to hear Louris expand on his guitar interpretations from the albums. He played most of his parts as recorded\u2014beautifully, mind you\u2014but unadorned.

Great show. The Jayhawks always rock and First Ave is an amazing place to see a band you love. Very intimate show. They catered to their fans. 2 thumbs up!

I love the Jayhawks and was extremely excited to see them. The music they played, they played well. My biggest complaint was they didn't play two of their biggest singles! These were the very songs that helped put them on the music map nationwide and not just as a local Minneapolis band. I just thought that seemed kind of weak since they made a point to play some new songs.

Watching the interplay between Gary Louris and Mark Olson on stage - seeing their personalities come out loud and clear in their facial expressions and their looks at each other - was a rare experience.

the reunion was all it was cracked up to be. they played almost the entirety of tomorrow the green grass and all songs were impeccable. hopefully they'll stay together this time, and make another original member album. karen grotberg and mark olson were unbelievably tight, and gary was outstanding on the solos. here's to another show in the near future. the only complaint...too many tall midwestern guys blocking the floor, making my wife constantly change her viewing point throughout the show.

The group wounded great and harmonies were outstanding. Guitar work by Gary was inspired. The sound guy at 1st Ave is WAY over the top with a hip-hop bass mix which is the only thing standing in the way of rating this show amazing. Can't fathom why they did not play "Save It For a Rainy Day".

The Jayhawks are timeless! To be honest, I didn't know alot of the early songs, only started to listen to them closely in the past ten years or so. Going to this concert gives me motivation to go back and start listening to some of the earlier stuff. Watching Louris, with Olson, is different than the Jayhawks without Olson. I wouldn't say one or the other is better, just different. With Olson on stage, Louris seems content to share the stage. When Olson isn't there, Louris' immense talents come to the fore'. This old Jayhawks sound is so unique. Louris and Olson combine to sound like one powerful, different voice! Well done!

Terrific show! Great to finally be able to see Mark and Karen, the way the group was when I first became a fan. I love the later work too, but I've never seen a sry with all pre-Tomorrow era songs, and it was really something special.

We were so excited to see The Jayhawks! We arrived just as KasierCartel was ending. We grabbed our drinks and waited for the Jayhawks to start. I kept thinking, I hope they play Stumbling through the dark and Save it for a Rainy Day. When they came out, everyone was cheering, waiting to hear what they were going to play. Honestly, I can't remember the first song they played, but they sounded AWESOME! Everyone was jazzed and singing along. They never ended but playing my requests, but they did play a wonderful show. I wish I was going back tonight.

I am and always will be a big Jaywawks fan, but Saturday's show was mediocre at best. Gary Louris even made the comment: "We've been working hard but maybe not hard enough". The band as a whole seemed unrehearsed and uninspired. Miscues, wrong chords and even some botched lyrics were not uncommon. The worst part was Mark Olsen's constant use of an envelope filter effect of his acoustic. Very annoying. When I pay $30 to see a concert at a smaller venue like 1st Ave, I expect to get a good performance. I sure hope they gave a better performance on Sunday.

Great Show! So glad we could make it! Great setlist!!

The anticipation could not have been greater for one of my favorite bands and a Twin Cities' favorite for many years. The Jayhawks have a large library of music, a smallish segment of which was recorded with the current lineup of Gary Louris, Mark Olson, Marc Pearlman, Tim O'Reagan and Karen Gotenberg. It wasn't the musicianship that suffered during this show, it was the lame playlist. Other than O'Reagan's "Tampa to Tulsa" from 2003's Rainy Day Music, than band limited itself to only music made while Olson was with the band (1987-1995). The 'hawks left all the music from Sound of Lies, Smile, and Rainy Day Music backstage and refused to share it with us. This show was very similar to the Basilica Block party show from 2008 when the band "reunited' for one show and left the audience disappointed. The Jayhawks have recorded a lot of great music, some of the Louris-Olson era collaborations among them. Why the band has chosen to not include any post-Olson music in it's live shows is a mystery; my guess is that there are big egos in a battle, with the Jayhawks fans ultimately being the losers. "Blue", "Real Light", "Nothing Left to Borrow", and "I'd Run Away" were strong with the boys in great voice with rich harmonies. So much of the rest was muddled through and forgettable. i watched the crowd throughout the evening (as I'd lost interest in the show about 30 minutes in). The packed house at First Avenue looked like it was ready to get involved, but the Jayhawks didn't generate enough enthusiasm to keep us energized. I was at Saturday's show. There was a Sunday night opportunity for the band to redeem itself, but I have yet to read any reviews on Sunday's show.

Excellent and true to form, They came and gave until the very end! thanks for a fantastic evening!

The music was great as always! I do have to say though the sound was unacceptable, lots of distortion and feedback coming through the mids, and I talked to some people that went to the Sunday night show and they said the exact same thing to me without me saying it first. Expected more from one of the recently rated best rock venues of all time ;)

Great show- what I saw of it. Haven't seen a show at First Ave in a while, so figuring it was a typical bar gig w/warm up act, went to dinner first. When we got to the show, I was surprised to see Jayhawks playing. Oh well- my fault, but it could have been more clear that the music starts at ???? o'clock.

I saw them on Thursday at Webster hall in NYC. I was pretty close to the front on Louris's side. The start of the show was slightly tentative, Waiting for the sun was a little slow, but the y got into the album quickly. The harmonies were overall very good, although the sound mix up front was tough. The bass came through loudest. The band was tight, and the show was exciting. I can compare this to the Philly show (Which I have on tape), which does not compare. the vocals from philly leave something to be desired. I had a great time and wish I went back for Friday and TTGG set.

Great show, was unaware of a new album out and had hoped for more of the classics. That being said I'm sure by the next time they come around I'll know the new album.

Totally amazing show. The band looked and sounded extremely tight and professional. You cant beat great harmonies. Cant wait to buy new CD. Looking forward to new tour.

Great show, nice crowd..kinda sticky gettin in early, "if you know what i mean", otherwise great time had by all

The draw here for diehard Jayhawks fans was an amazing 1 - 2 punch... the reunion of the "classic" Jayhawks line-up coupled with a setlist featuring the great (their greatest?) Tomorrow The Green Grass album. Mark Olson and Gary Louris were in perfect voice and harmony from the outset, launching into the album's songs in order with passion and animation, while Karen Grotberg's keyboards filled in the middle, and the rhythm section provided added power and drive. This seminal alt-country band wowed the NY crowd for over two solid hours, rounding things our with some new material and other classic songs.

Great show! The sound could have been better. The bass drum mike was way too loud.

EXCELLENT SELECTION OF TUNES, VERY TIGHT PERFORMANCES, FUN EVENING

I was looking forward to this show and have loved this The Jayhawks since their beginnings but this show ranks with the worst that I've seen. Webster Hall and the sound engineer were surely a large part of the problem but The Jayhawks plodding, uninspired delivery delivery were flat out boring. I begun in the balcony directly center behind the sound board but found the sound there unlistenable with the bass and drums completely clobbering everything else in the music out of existence. Moving to the rear of the main floor I found it pretty much the same, muddy bass way way over mixed crushing all of the sparkle and beautiful vocal harmonies that these songs can have. I moved forward to the center of the main floor and found the sound the same. The performances by the band were very weak as well, no chemistry and the tempo was off and slow and tentative. I left after about an hour so if there was a second set I'm not commenting on that. Maybe It improved but I doubt it. Webster Hall needs a sound engineer and The Jayhawks need to drink some coffee and rehearse a little more. Maybe play smaller venues. This show stunk.

The second of two glorious nights at Webster Hall, found the Jayhawks in high energy. Maybe in the future they could do consecutive nights, each night featuring an album right up to there upcoming new release, I couldn't think of anything better than a NYC residence. The two shows at Webster Hall were the perfect cure for those cold winter blues.

my favorite band performing my favorite album what could be better

Look a bit older but their voices are as young as they were 15 years ago!!

poor acoustics and visibility for this type of band at this venue.

It was the first time that I saw The Jayhawks live. It was just magical! I couldn't stop smiling! Absolutely unforgettable!!!!

The original band is back and better than ever! Not only did they play many of their old songs beautifully, they gave us samples from their upcoming album. This wasn't just a reunion nostalgia trip. It was a fresh look at the once and future Best Unknown Band in America.

In a word...unbelievable. The Thurs and Fri shows at Webster Hall brought the 'Hawks back to the big town..the show was absolutely great. Don't miss them if they come to your town!

Despite being a fan since the Hollywood Town Hall release I had still somehow missed seeing The Jayhawks play live. I'm very happy to have rectified that situation. Focused on the early and mid 90's era, the show was a generous offering for their longtime fans. There was little played from the post Louris releases, but this was billed as HTH in it's entirety and as they've released expanded versions of that and Tomorrow the Green Grass, this was not a big surprise. There were also a couple of songs played from an upcoming album from this classic Jayhawks lineup, so they appear to be doing more than a one-off limited tour. The harmonies were a little rough in spots at the outset, but the show hit its' stride after a few songs and reminded me of just how warm and embracing their music can be.

I've seen them quite a few times in many locations, this one may have been the best one yet. The harmonies were amazing tight, the playing loose and yet concise. They had the crowd from the opening notes of "Waiting for the Sun". All songs were from the Olson era of the band except for "Tampa to Tulsa" with 2 new tracks added in.

One of the best musical experiences of my life. One of my desert island albums delivered live in its running order by one of America's greatest (virtually unknown) bands. Mark and Gary seamlessly blend their two voices to create something otherworldly. The new songs are so strong! These are the PROFESSIONAL songwriters that we always hear about and rarely witness. True American Masters. The band is loose and yet they feel tight as a unit in their looseness. Breathing much life into songs which require edge, breathing room and guts. excellent!

Its been 16 years since I first saw the Jayhawks @ Toads Place in New Haven, and I was so happy they would be playing my favorite album..."Hollywood Town Hall" from start to finish....All I can say is it was worth the wait. I am SO happy that Mark Olsen is back with Gary Louris and the Band. The classic Jayhawks' harmonies are alive and well, something I never thought I would hear live again!!!! Great show, I cant wait for the tour of the new album!!!!!! Love the Jayhawks!!!!!

The Jayhawks played the Hollywood Town Hall album from start to finish at the beginning of their show Thursday night at Webster Hall. They they took an imaginary break and played about another hour of selections from throughout their discography. Great show all told.

The most over looked band in Rock and Roll is back and better than ever. The tour was just five shows,with an upcoming album due out, I would hope that they do a full tour and play the New York City area again. I will again be at the head of the line for tickets.

One of America's greatest bands. Yes, I mean that.

A lackluster performance by a group I have loved for years. Vocals, particularly Mark Olsen's, were disappointing. They would have been better served playing at a lower volume and working to get their sound and vocals to gel. Very little rapport with the audience. Mark Olsen indicated at one point that they were performing the whole-album format (which I generally like) because they were asked to, and he seemed to be going through the motions. All in all, an uninspiring performance.

The Jayhawks are amazing as ever. This was the first time I saw all five band members together. Gary Louris and Mark Olsen did a great job balancing the leads. Tim O'Reagan is phenomenal......"Tampa to Tulsa" was one of the big hits of the night. My only disappointment was that they didn't sing "Smile" or "Tailspin". Gary Louris is in the same league with Bono.

The Jayhawks set at the Keswick started a little slowly, picking up around song 5 and nailing old favorites throughout the evening. Older fans of the group probably liked the set a bit more because it was very Mark Olsen over Gary Louris in song selection. I like Gary's voice better, but my complaint is a minor one. A solid show!

Glad the band's back together! Love the new songs, particularly appreciated the encore that included "Love Hurts". Come back soon, please visit the Grand or the Queen in DE.

For all the energy they put in the show, the Jayhawks might as well have fired up the Ipod and just played their greatest hits package. Well-crafted music, to be sure, just not delivered with any particular punch.

The Jayhawks played a memorable show at the Keswick Theatre on Sat 22 2011, mixing many songs from their 2011 CD Mockingbird Time with their greatest hits. Flawless musicianship, a great setlist and incredible, inimitable vocal harmonies flowed throughout the evening. Louris and Olson built a great rapport with the audience. They, and the rest of The Jayhawks, should not be missed.

Low energy, dull, boring, nothing to say, no personality. They mailed it in.

Great to see Mark Olson with the band, having seen the Jayhawks twice without. Wonderful show-could have stayed another hour!

We felt the opening act had more energy and was more in tune with the crowd. The crowd was a good crowd. Jayhawks played well, but after a few songs, they all begin to sound the same. Was glad to hear a few of our favorites.

The Jayhawks sounded great, the mid 90's line up hasn't missed a beat. Karen didn't get to sing any solos but I got a hug from her after the show and that made up for it 10 fold! Small venues are the best, it was a personal type concert.

It has been too long of a time to not hear Gary and Mark on the same stage with their amazing harmonies, and the songwriting that I have loved since this band formed around 1990. The show was simply awesome, I love the Jayhawks, I have seen now 255 concerts since the age of 7, and I could literally take the next 3 months off from my job and sit and listen to the Jayhawks EVERY night!!!!! And Tift Merritt was the opening act and she was beautiful and a great musician in her own right!!! .

Love the band but the venue stank. Was like listening to a bar band playing in the background. The Keswick left the lights on in the bar area behind us during the whole show. People were very rude with camera phones and flash photo's. Seemed know one was that interested in the preformance including the Jayhawks. The people came and went during the preformance like they had better place to be. Like out for a smoke or they needed another drink. It was all very distracting from the preformance. Could'nt watch the show for the hoard's of people moving around you. Very displeased with the Keswick. Wanted to go there for years. Thought i was missing out on a great venue. I was wrong ! i will think long and hard before i spend my money at the Keswick again. I have been to many shows of all kinds and this was a milestone. Booo

Great show at the Keswick. The sound was great. A fine mix of old and new setlist. So glad to be able to hear this kind of music so close to home. The Keswick runs a tight ship unlike some of the other venues and allows us to experience some great talents. Love the Jayhawks and the crowd they draw. You could bring your kids to their show. Class act. Thanks guys and gal.

Concert was geat. Voices sound as good as ever. One of the few bands that are better live then on record. Would have been 5 star but concert was a little short - less then 1 hour 45 min.

This was my first time seeing the Jayhawks so I cannot compare their performance. However I though they were good but they didn't blow me away. I really like most of their music so I was expecting to enjoy seeing them live more than I did. My seats were in the back and I thought the volume was not quite loud enough. Unfortunately during much of the Jayhawks peformance the guy behind me was having a conversation. I politely asked him to talk more quietly or go out in the lobby. That apparently pissed him off because after that the guy just got worse; seemingly trying to prove a point that I wasn't going to get my way. Of course, this greatly impacted my enjoyment of the show. I really don't understand why people come to a show and don't listen to it. Next time, if I can't get seats up front, where the expect the fans are more devoted (and respectful), I won't go.

Fantastic show- as always. Tift merritt, who opened for Jayhawks was great. Recommend seeing Tift.

Underwhelming performance. Mark Olson appeared to be under the influence of something. We should have stayed home.

3rd time seeing The Jayhawks--we were very disappointed. Seemed as though the band was wasn't happy to be there playing together. No magic at all.

Great show, venue and acoustics. Not much banter which I appreciate. ..more songs.

The band was great and was well worth going to. The harmonies were awesome and overall the band was in fine form on both older songs and the outstanding new ones. I would highly recommend catching a show by the Jayhawks.

We saw the Jayhawks at First Ave last year and, frankly, were disappointed. Louris seemed to be deferring to Olson to no good effect. This time the band was much more confident, Louris' guitar sounded great and they played my favorite song (Pray for Me).

I m that fan who sat in the third row and watched in awe while listening to each note and every vocal like it was the first time. The venue was perfect, the songlist was filled with so many of the favorites and the band was masterful. Am anxiously awaiting the new album!! And hopefully the Jayhawks will always consider playing at this venue. Driving down from the cities was worth it!!

The Jayhawk's at webster hall was a great show! They sound amazing in concert and we were thrilled to see them live in NYC. Great show - great time!

I grew up listening to the Jayhawks with my family on roadtrips. Finally seeing them live was fantastic. 2 encores = great.

What a great concert in an intimiate gathering. We hadn't seen the Jayhawks in years and it really brought us back to our college days and beyond.

Jayhawks were in fine form. Great to see and hear the great harmony's back together again. They seemed to enjoy themselves as much as the crowd did. Great Show....

I wish that they would have played a little more of the newer stuff. I know that that's from the Mark Olsonless era, but it would have been great to hear. It was a fun show with a lot of hits and energy, though.

After a rather slow start, the band, and the crowd, quickly warmed up to what became a very lively Sunday night show! The warm-up band, Rogue Valley, may have been TOO similar in musical style to the featured Mpls Alt-Country-Rockers, but once Mark and Gary got up to their microphones, it didn't really matter! The boys harmonized beautifully, causing me at one point to turn to my date and exclaim that, "two voices had become one!" Truly a fun night, with a very memorable finish!!! Worth the wait, and very much worth the price of admission! Tomorrow, the green grass!! Word!!! spike ;}

The Jayhawks at First Avenue is Minnesota at its very best! If you love The Jayhawks, you will love their show, regardless of the venue. A sincere performance. This band truly stands the test of time. I am ashamed to say that his was my first Jayhawks show, despite being a local fan for two decades. I hope to see them again, but at least for now... the "bucket list" has been checked!

I can't believe that even 20 years from when I first heard them live, these guys are so great. I saw them at venues from ten people to hundreds of people back in the early nineties. At the concert, I realized how great it was that they are still playing. And, it didn't feel like a reunion show :)

They have wonderful music. Love the harmonies they do. Unfortunately it was so loud unable to really here the beutiful harmonies. Never have understood it, but seems that's what most people like. The distortion was frequent due to the guitar players' ongoing, (whatever that bar thing is called that makes distorted sound.) Too bad. I would go see them outside, but not inside again. Unable to hear the keyboard at all. Except when she played without the other instruments playing. OK, so my friend said they are trying to get their own sound. Although, I really did look forward to the concert, and am happy I went.

It was great to see this band back out doing shows again! Wish I could have made it both nights.