Last Night: Jonathan Richman at the Make-Out Room

Wade Grubbs

Jonathan Richman and Tommy Larkins
September 20, 2009
Make-Out Room

What must it be like to be Jonathan Richman? Guessing from his Sunday night show, it's equal parts joy and sorrow in abundance. The singer-songwriter's emotions are delivered in many languages; I counted English, Hebrew, Spanish, and French tonight. And he even got heckled in Hebrew.

Richman and longtime drummer Tommy Larkins played the first of a four-night run at the Make-Out Room in the Mission, something that has become a tradition. Richman mesmerized the attentive crowd with songs new, old, and improvised. He held us all rapt, never knowing where the twists in his thoughts and strumming might lead, but willing to take the journey with him as our guide.

The music led to many places. Richman's Spanish-style guitar flourishes and meanderings were a rich accompaniment to his verbal asides. His quirkiness wasn't wasted on the crowd, which was largely composed of middle-aged farts like myself who were slightly past their sell-by date but still capable of wonderment at a good show.

Jonathan Richman can deliver that sense of wide-eyed wonder. His boyish good looks have segued into the veneer of a handsome and world-weary wise man. Although he now looks like a grownup, he retains his youthful demeanor.

There was no support act; Richman played two sets, each longer than an hour. His acoustic Spanish guitar was miked '60s-style to just the sound hole, although he often walked away from the mike to sing and strum or play a set of sleigh bells. He even busted a couple of nifty dance steps. I was impressed that someone with just a guitar and a microphone could be so expressive. A couple of times, Richman wandered to the edge of the stage and sang to the audience without microphone or guitar.

The first set contained a few songs that seemed to be largely improvised. Larkins, his trusty sidekick, had a full drum kit and pounded away intently, focused on his work.

The second set had two obvious crowd-pleasers. After a sing-along of "I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar," Richman offered up a rendition of "Pablo Picasso" that was the only discernible toe in the water of the Modern Lovers oeuvre this writer detected.

Although some in the crowd might have hoped for older songs, in the end it didn't matter. Richman is a rambling raconteur of the highest order, and regaled the audience with stories of his Aunt Ruth, songs about his dinner options, and a tribute to the Fender Stratocaster.

After the show, he came out for a meet-and-greet with fans, many of whom had stuck around for a moment with their hero. Asked by this writer for a comment or autograph, Richman took the proffered notebook and scrawled in all caps, "THE MAKEOUT ROOM HAS GREAT SOUND. WE LIKE THE ATMOSPHERE."

Richman and Larkins will be playing at the Make-Out Room through Wednesday the 23rd. The show was so much fun that I'm thinking of going again, and I hope to see you there.

Wade Grubbs