Photo: Geoffrey Brent Shrewsbury
The Oblivians are one of the few “cult” bands of the 90s to actually surpass their peers and continue to be productive and extraordinarily creative, into the next decade and beyond.
Even after their official split in ’98 Jack Yarber, Greg Cartwright, and Eric Friedl have continued to impact and make music. It’s that true Memphis maverick spirit shining through, some bands have it and some do not. It is a truth that is lost on some Memphis music fans who believe every Memphis band they love is one of the great ones.
I’m going to admit something that will make every single Oblivians fan cringe and I’m not ashamed. I’m just that kind of music fan, no shame in my game. I’ve only ever heard a few songs and I’d never seen them live despite the fact that I am a proud native Memphian. I’ve seen Jack with the Tearjerkers a couple times and that’s where my knowledge began and ended before tonight. Now? I know, I know what the fuss is about. I know what I’ve been missing and hearing about for the last 9 years that I’ve been going to shows in Memphis, the Oblivians are the real deal, a real rock’n roll band.
First of all, two guitars and a drum set is this rock’n roll fan’s dream. A band that can easily rotate to and from, share vocals, and do it all without a setlist is an added bonus. I find myself to be disappointed when I see a band play with a setlist, it’s usually some out of town band who doesn’t know any better. The Oblivians know better; throughout the set they are taking requests and discussing what they remember and what they don’t, we as an audience don’t care about the latter because the music is THAT good.
Where they sometimes fumble to remember keys, opening chords, or a bridge, they more than make up for it in rock’n roll bravado, skill, and playing like the professionals they’ve grown to be. Don’t let the word “professional” scare you off, Oblivian fans, the boys still play like kids in the garage. There’s still the love for the music that they had when the band first formed in ’93, as far as this music fan can see. There was a youthful exuberance between the 3 friends that instantly earned my respect, they weren’t playing this music to be cool or get people to like them, they play it because this is the music that makes them feel good. Simple as that.
There is a very distinct line between a band that just formed and a band that’s not played together for a while. When a band that has just formed spends part of their set discussing what to play next and what key it’s in and who’s singing the next one, an audience leaves or loses interest.
When a band like the Oblivians does the same the story changes. The audience is intrigued, we’re intrigued by the band’s obvious intimate interaction and sometimes we shout requests while they debate what to play. When Greg prompts Jack to sing while playing the drums, there’s a little doubt as to whether or not he’ll do it until Jack quips, “I know it, I just held my breath through that whole song.” We laugh, they laugh, and the song starts up. This is where a new band gets separated from a more experienced band, even if it’s a song that’s not been well rehearsed, the Oblivians soldier through it like they’ve been practicing everyday for the last year.
Actually, that’s what boggled my mind throughout the whole set, this trio kept debating songs and keys and whatnot, but when they played it was as if the whole discussion prior to the song was a joke. Every riff, every line, every beat of the drum seemed to be right on time and, well, right on.
I may have entered Goner completely uneducated, but I left with enough education to be armed and ready for the next Oblivians reunion (which, really, on all accounts, these seem to happen often. This kind of chemistry is hard to stay away from). I’m a firm believer that you become a fan of a band when you need them most, and I needed the Oblivians tonight. The Oblivians reminded me of that youthful love for rock’n roll and not giving a fuck if anyone else liked what I like. For this alone, the Oblivians own a piece of my heart. They honor what is wonderful about Memphis as a city and Memphis as the HOME of rock’n roll.
