It’s that time of year where things start to move really fast, uncontrollably fast in many cases, just to suddenly stop and quiet down for two weeks. Traffic in the city is more aggressive, people are on edge, the wind is sharp and cold as soon as the sun disappears. And sure, there is holiday cheer in the middle of all of that; don’t get me wrong. But on some days when 4pm feels like midnight, a dark bar seems more inviting to me than bow-wrapped aisles in a retail store. And perhaps all of that was in my head as I stepped through the front door, and then the front curtain, of Harvard & Stone to settle in for a night of good ol’ fashioned drinkin’ music.
I’ve never been to this particular bar before but on this Friday the 13th, everything about it felt right and I wish I had known about it sooner. The factory-like interior grew loud with conversation against the echos of clanking pool balls from upstairs. Jameson-laced clouds and cigarette breezes swirled as more people filed in. I ordered my younger self’s favorite (Jack and Coke) and found a spot to lean against the front of the bar, a mere two steps from the stage.
The Walks of Life were the local openers for this show. Looking back on my notes, the first thing I jotted down was “highway rock and roll.” The more I thought about it afterwards, the more sense it made to me. Sam Marine with his four piece band just had a way about them that made me feel like we were nestled off of some empty road in the middle of nowhere. To put it a bit more…technical, I suppose…it appeared to me that The Walks of Life most likely get a lot of their inspiration from the Foo Fighters. File them somewhere in that world of rock and roll. It was perfectly pleasant and the crowd all seemed to nod along in agreement with me.
Paige and the Overtones were the touring opener and although sonically they were a bit different, I do want to reference back to the overarching theme of this night: drinkin’ music. The Las Vegas country & western four piece led by Paige Overton took the stage in all black outfits with matching cowboy hats. I have a lot of great things to say about this band but I’ll start with my main description: a hootin’ & hollerin’, floor stompin’, twangy rock band with soul roots. This band does it all. You’re drawn in by Overton’s powerful vocals and you stay there entranced by the lead guitarist’s impressive solos. This was The Overtones’ first time in LA and the crowd welcomed them warmly. In fact, many of the audience members cheered as the guitarist hopped of stage just as their set wrapped; an acknowledgement that the band is definitely welcomed back anytime.
With a full bar now loosened up by some great music, and perhaps a few rounds of drinks, Chuck Ragan took the stage with his pedal steel player Todd Beene. When reviewing Ragan’s latest album Love and Lore, I made note of how his songs always carry deep honesty. I think it’s one of the main ingredients that makes them so good. His live performance only amplifies this honesty. Ragan has a way of singing that makes you feel like every word matters. It’s the kind of singing I’ve seen in songwriters like Jason Isbell or Kevin Devine. It’s one thing to write honestly but when that carries over to your performance, it shows that you aren’t only in it for some selfish reason. You are here because you have something to say. And Harvard & Stone was the perfect venue for Ragan’s set of sincere and vulnerable songs.
Just as Ragan checked his tuning to start his set, I noticed him enthusiastically greet someone in the crowd and motion to the sound guy that “we may actually have drums.” That foreshadowing was resolved about midway through the set when he called Jared Shavelson (Joyce Manor, The Bronx, Ways Away) on stage to play drums. I could tell this wasn’t planned but I mean that in a “what a pleasant surprise” way and not a “wow, that was a trainwreck” way. It was genuinely a treat to see the three musicians smile and hold technical conversations between songs as they all figured out what to play next. Shavelson did not miss a single beat and, upon doing very light research, I learned that he did in fact drum for Ragan during a 2023 string of shows. There was a particularly fun moment I caught, however, when Shavelson offered to get off stage so Ragan could play some new songs that he did not know. “If you want to play the new stuff, I’ll sit out,” he said as Ragan responded with something along the lines of “No…you won’t.” They did, in fact, play a new one (“Winter”) with Shavelson still on stage but any person who was not paying as close attention as I was would have never guessed he didn’t know the song. It truly is special when you get to witness professionals just work it all out together in front of an audience. This was the highlight of the set for me.
Shavelson wasn’t the only musician friend of Ragan’s in attendance at this show. As him and Beene geared up to play Hot Water Music’s “State of Grace,” Ragan shared that his band had toured most of 2023 alongside Quicksand. “Walter,” he said directed towards Walter Schreifels (frontman of Quicksand), “I love you, brother. You’ve always been an inspiration to me. This one is for you.” My favorite part of this song live, and what I imagine is a favored moment of any Hot Water Music show, is when Ragan (and the entire crowd) shouted, “’cause I hate the taste of medicine, we all hate the taste of medicine.” Everyone was just locked in during this moment.
To close out the night, Ragan brought back to stage Paige and the Overtones to help him perform “One More Shot,” a song on Love & Lore that Overton guest vocals on. I love these moments of a tour where you can tell the bands are genuinely having fun together. It was a party on stage and, therefore, a party throughout the entire bar.
It is at these intimidate shows where you remember how powerful music can be. Strip away the fancy lights, the line of security guards, the stage plots, the barriers. Strip away all of that higher production fanfare that feels more and more corporate in today’s landscape and you get this: a room full of shouting lyrics, dimly lit vulnerability, a few tears, and a whole lot of goosebumps. This is the purest form of the magic that is live music.
Chuck Ragan’s tour has just wrapped but I urge you to catch him next time he’s in town. As an important aside, Ragan and his crew unfortunately got their gear stolen in Emeryville, CA and are requesting any helpful information that could lead to its return. If you happen to live in the area, please see his Instagram post for the details. We wish him and his team the best during this tough time!
Listen to Love & Lore here!
The Indy Review 