Live: Jon Brion @ Largo at the Coronet, 11.22.08

Jon BrionLast night’s gig was my first time seeing Jon Brion in his new house since the move from Fairfax, and sure enough, he was right at home. After his final two shows at Largo The First brought my JB concert tally up to six back in April, I figured we both needed a vacation, and he certainly returned well-rested.

He invited the audience to join him on two sing-alongs, one incredible (Bowie’s “Space Oddity”) and one “Democratic” as Jon jovially cut us off halfway when we flubbed the words to “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” He was in good spirits throughout, pounding through a ’70s cock-rock block highlighted by a Kraftwerk-y take on “Hot Blooded,” a straightforward rendition of “the good part of ‘Layla,'” and a jog to the aging Largo piano for athletic versions of his own “Trouble” and “Ruin My Day.” The “Space Oddity” cover, punctuated by Jon’s rocketing guitar work, was the set’s best moment, but better still was seeing that the restless musician didn’t lose anything in the moving van.

(Jon Brion photo by John Vanderslice)