LOCATION: Schuba's, Chicago, IL

LINEUP: Jack, Karin, Linford, Jeff, Terri, Dave, Dan Heffington

REVIEW BY: John J. Thompson (True Tunes)

Over The Rhine 
      Schuba's Tavern 
      12-18-99 
      Chicago Illinois 

      by John J. Thompson 
                                                              


     Schuba's Tavern is flat-out the coolest place to see a band in Chicago. And if ever there was a band that seemed to
     be built from the same turn-of-the-century wood as this north-side Chicago landmark, it is Cincinatti's Over The
     Rhine. Saturday night (Dec. 18th) saw OTR return to Schuba's for the umpteenth time, this time for one of their
     near-famous "Christmas Concerts." Though the nearly two-hour set included only a pair of Christmas songs, the
     vibe was complete. Large wreaths decorated the walls. Strings of tiny Christmas lights wrapped around flowing cords
     of garland adorned the neo-gothic trim. The small music room at Schuba's was packed wall-to-wall with fans new
     and old, all certain that this would be one of those concerts they talked about for years to come. It was. 

     The night's second set began at 10:15 PM with little fanfare. The band took the stage and gently breezed into "Go Down Easy." The group,
     numbering seven members in total, was chock full of new and out-of-context faces. It would be almost half an hour before founding member
     Linford Detwiler would hip the crowd to this stage-full of virtuosos. Meanwhile these "new faces" put entirely fresh and entirely mesmerizing
     spins on Over The Rhine songs going back as far as their first album "'Til We Have Faces." By the time he got around to letting us in on
     these players, it was no mystery why they were so good. On drums was none other than Don Heffington (who has played with numerous
     bands, including Lone Justice and it's front-person Maria McKee!) and David Labruyere (from the original line-up of Vigilantes Of Love) as
     well as Jeff Berg on no less than Mandolin, Melodica, Harmonica, hand percussion and various other goodies he hid back in the corner with,
     a British chap named Jack Henderson on guitar (a killer Gretch Nashville, a vintage Strat and some haunting lap-steel parts) and
     now-mainstay Terri Templeton on violin and backing vocals. With that kind of backup firepower, lesser artists may be obscured. But Karin
     Bergquist was in top vocal form (and ever more adept on her beautiful Lowden acoustic guitar) and the afformentioned Linford Detwiler
     simply rocked on organ and electric piano. This was the kind of set you wish you could show everyone you know. The musicianship was
     breathtaking, not to mention the songs.

     The set list featured eighteen songs, including one request played by Karen and Linford alone for a fan that drove all the way from South
     Carolina. (To which another fan yelled that he drove up from Texas, truly setting Karin back a step…) Throughout the nearly two full hours
     the band revisited songs from all of their albums and threw in one new song called "Little Blue River" which Linford said was written by
     Karin one night on the long drive home to Cincinatti after a Schuba's show. The songs, though familiar to most of the crowd, all sounded
     surprisingly new, especially "Cast Me Away," "Jacksie" "Circle Of Quiet" and a revved up "My Love Is A Fever." But there were no slow
     points. This show hit on all eight cylinders and surely qualifies as the best performance I have seen them turn in (and I've seen a few folks.) 

     As this version of Over The Rhine played it seemed like the 200 or so in attendance were witnessing the possible end of this band's "best
     kept secret" status. It was obvious that they would have impressed anyone wandering into the room that night. It seems strange that Sarah
     McGlaughlan (I know I probably misspelled it, leave me alone!) or Natalie Merchant would have more fans than this band. I hope Virgin
     (the band's new label) appreciates what they have more than IRS did. This is world class music that the rest of the folks out there deserve to
     hear.

     -JJT