Dolour’s Final Show at The Crocodile Cafe 2007 ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

For the first time since 2007, Shane Tutmarc will be performing songs from the expansive Dolour catalogue. This Thursday (tomorrow) night at The Tractor Tavern Shane will be performing an entire set of Dolour songs, to support his friend and former Dolour contributor,  guitarist Josh Ottum’s cd release.  The last time Shane took the stage as Dolour was December 2007, in what would be the last week of the (original) Crocodile Cafe.  We were there.

A lot of  things have changed since then. The Crocodile has been reborn and Shane has left the lush lovelorn pop project behind in favor of a musical sojourn through the roots of the American South. His relationship with his Dolour self and songs, is complicated, to say the least. Shane discussed Dolour with me during a two part interview saying, ” I definitely feel like I don’t know that person that wrote the Dolour albums.”

His disconnect and complex relationship is on full display in his announcement of this Thursday’s show:

On October 22nd at the Tractor Tavern, I will be digging deep into my musical past-life for this rare performance of Dolour material.  My good friend and occasional collaborator, Josh Ottum (who played lead guitar on ‘The Years in the Wilderness’) asked if I’d do a low-key set of acoustic Dolour songs.  Being that I’ve avoided this material for so long made me intrigued by his offer.  It didn’t take long for me to see that this could be a chance to rediscover this “lost” music and see if there is something I can learn (or re-learn) from it.  (You may have noticed by now that I have a “complicated” relationship with my old songs.)
But… I agreed to perform a short solo set comprised of exclusively Dolour material to open up the show.  This will be the first time I’ve dusted off this catalog since the “last” show in December 2007 at the old Crocodile Cafe.

While Shane’s relationship with the songs may be complicated, the joy of a Dolour tune is its instant familiarity and warmth, like putting on your favorite sweatshirt still warm from the dryer. Dolour’s catalog is deep with pop gems like few bands are writing in Seattle today. We’re eager to hear old favorites like “I Smell a Lawsuit,” “Suburbiac” and “You Can’t Make New Old Friends.” We were there at that last show and we will definitely be at the Tractor this Thursday. Whether you’re an old Dolour fan or band member or you’ve never heard Dolour before, we recommend you’re there too. It’s a great peek back into the Seattle sound of the early ’00s and with two local bands celebrating their CD release that night, a good look into the future too.

When: Thursday, October 22nd (9pm)
Where: The Tractor Tavern
Who: The Republic, Ivan & Alyosha (CD Release), Josh Ottum (CD Release), Shane Tutmarc (special Dolour set)

Shane is opening the night, so if you want to catch Dolour (you do), be sure to get there early!

Aqueduct, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Josh Ottum
The Crocodile Cafe, Seattle
April 28, 2007 (late show)

On receiving Aqueducts new album Or Give Me Death earlier this year, I wasn’t immediately taken. Initially lead David Terry’s voice didn’t jump out at me as special and only a couple of the songs made an impression. Generally I’m not willing to discount anyone until I see them live though, and this Barsuk band proved that thinking was a good thing on the final show of their tour. Terry was clearly ecstatic to be home after a two month tour, and his singing reflected it bringing a whole new energy to songs that on the album seemed flat and overproduced. Live, songs that were sung a bit too straight on the album had the humor and room to move that they needed to make things fun interesting. Song of the night for Aqueduct was “Split the Difference.”

The standout band of the night though was definitely Barsuk labelmates What Made Milwaukee Famous, who’s album Trying Never To Catch Up became a favorite workout album of mine last year. Didn’t seem like everyone else was really there to see them, but I sure was, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Highlights of the night for me were “Sweet Lady” and “Mercy, Me.” I’ll definitely be out to see them again when they come back around. Opener Josh Ottum (below) also sounded great but unfortunately wasn’t entirely memorable.