What I’ve always admired about Dave Pirner is his humble approach to success. Soul Asylum was a fixture on MTV thanks to the triple-platinum squall of 1992’s “Grave Dancers Union” and they even played the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993, but he still led the current version of the band into The Riviera Theatre on a Thursday night in September with the same scrappy DIY ethos he’s had since the Twin/Tone days. No frills, no platitudes, and no production value outside of a black screen featuring the logo. The fact that Pirner’s lyrics are fraught with angst and emotional entanglements meant that nothing outside of four guys jamming away was needed to ensure a memorable evening.
“Shut Down,” “Somebody to Shove,” and “Misery” were unleashed right off the bat, much to the delight of the sparse yet appreciative audience. While Pirner’s voice was in fine form and the mix was clean throughout, the empty seats definitely prevented the show from scaling the heights that their 2013 set at The Tralf did. Had The Riv been filled to the brim as we all hoped it would be, the exchange of energy between the band and its fans would’ve elevated everything rather than raise questions as to what exactly was responsible for the disconnect.
I loved what I heard for the most part, I just didn’t feel as immersed in the experience as I did 10 years earlier.
Pirner was onto something when he said that Corey Glover would be a tough act to follow, because the Living Colour vocalist burned the house down with an acoustic blend of funk, love, and soul that, as Toto guitarist Steve Lukather once told me, would have made Jann Wenner’s ball sac explode. Obviously, the disgraced Rolling Stone founder wasn’t there, but I’d like to think that Glover was making a statement given the pointed response to Wenner he shared on social media earlier in the day. He and guitarist Stephen DeAcutis served up exquisite renditions of “One,” “Last Temptation,” and “April Rain” before a snarling take on “Love Rears Its Ugly Head” from Living Colour’s 1990 album “Time’s Up.” 20 years had passed since I last saw Glover live and an opening slot was all he needed to show that he remains at the top of his game.
Not too bad for a Thursday.
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