The stage was dark and filled with bullhorns and megaphones. The sold out crowd was a fan only affair as a result of a strict ticketing process that required you to swipe your credit card upon entrance. Seeing Tom Waits in concert was a dream come true and by the time the house lights came up over two hours after the show began, I realized just how special the night was and wished it wouldn’t end.

From his slightly elevated stage Waits stomped his foot, raised his hands and began the evening with his signature growl and storytelling tales. Indeed, Waits would seem just as much at home guessing your weight or telling your fortune at the local town fair. Throughout the night he peppered his commentary with useless facts and trivial knowledge only he could deliver. I learned you could draw fourteen omelets from an ostrich egg; it’s illegal for women to parachute on Sunday, and that if every person in China climbed a ladder and jumped off simultaneously their collective landing could knock the world off its axis. The banter was an added bonus and hecklers (there were many) didn’t go unanswered.

The second song of the evening “Way Down In a Hole,” was most recently in the spotlight for its use as the theme song to the HBO mega hit The Wire. It was followed up by a personal favorite “Falling Down.” Mule Variations “Get Behind The Mule” appeared a few songs later and raised the crowd from its seats, a common occurrence by evening’s end. The first half of the set got everyone comfortable seeing such a rare touring act, and the second half of the night was easily the best hour plus of live music I’ve ever been a part of. The band left Waits alone at the piano, flanked only by his stand up bassist for a handful of numbers. For that moment, positioned behind the piano, he looked just like he did circa Closing Time.

The magic in the evening didn’t solely belong to Waits himself, he’s anchored by guitarist Omar Torrez and Vincent Henry, who played on double sax. The band also demonstrated it was a family affair as Waits’ sons Casey and Sullivan contributed percussion and additional horn sections. Torrez and Henry made the second half of the show, including Real Gone standout “Hoist That Rag,” filled with Spanish guitar licks and jazz movements. “Singapore” and “Rain Dogs” hailed Tom’s early days while “Make It Rain” brought the present day including a golden glitter shower covering Waits during the middle of the song.

The encore included the gorgeous Mule Variations selection “House Where Nobody Lives” reminding everyone that “If there’s love in a house, It’s a palace for sure.” The band left the stage once more, the lights turned down low and the every single one of the almost three thousand standing, applauding, hoping for one more return. That didn’t happen, much to everyone’s chagrin, but the evening wasn’t lost. We filed into the streets having just witnessed one unforgettable night of live music.

Myspace: Tom Waits
MP3: Tom Waits – “You Can Never Hold Back Spring”
MP3: Tom Waits – “Bottom Of The World”

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