Second concert of the year

My second concert of 2010 was Jay Farrar and Ben Gibbard playing their Jack Kerouac documentary songs at Turner Hall.  I'm familiar with Jay's music and Ben's, and was familiar with the idea behind this collaboration project, but hadn't heard any of the soundtrack.  That means it's tough for me to comment on individual songs, but I was definitely impressed.  Jay and Ben's collaboration doesn't feel quite like a band, but they seemed comfortable and relaxed on stage with each other.  The music and lyrics were engaging and fit together well.  I found it interesting that the role of "blistering guitar solo" in many of the songs was played instead by "blistering pedal steel solo" or "blistering keyboard solo."  The show was very short - only about an hour long, though it felt like they'd played longer.  (In a good way.)  Jay and Ben finished off the show with a cover of Tom Waits' "Old Shoes (And Picture Postcards)."  It was a nice way to be sent back into the cold January night.  A January that finally, finally, just might be drawing to a close.