Seeing as this is baseball playoff season and the Los Angeles Dodgers, as of this writing, are one win from the World Series and Beck is one of the quintessential L.A. artists, a baseball analogy seems fitting for Beck’s first “official” L.A. show in three years.
Let’s say Beck was a pitcher, which feels apt, not the most athletic guy, but incredibly smart, crafty and talented (a Greg Maddux type). As a pitcher he’s had a strong career – been an all-star several times, won 20 games a few times, been consistent. He’s not a sure thing for the Baseball Hall Of Fame, but no one will be surprised or complain if he gets there. But he’s now two decades into that career, so no one’s sure what he has left in the tank. As a solid contributor to the game for decades you want him to do well, but when he takes the mound you dial down your expectations.
Then he comes out and throws a perfect game. And not a cheap perfect game where there were at least three or four game-saving plays from his teammates. No, a perfect game where he is in absolute control throughout. Beck’s appearance at the John Anson Ford Theater last night, a gorgeous venue tucked into the Hollywood Hills he repeatedly referred to as being in his backyard, was a perfect game.
Playing more than two hours and expertly navigating through his more than two-decade career, he and his band absolutely dazzled with a tour de force performance that was pitch perfect. Whether it was older material like “Loser” and the opening “Devil’s Haircut” that felt completely reinvigorated and as if they was being played for the first time, the absolutely stunning Sea Change songs like “Lost Cause,” which was so achingly beautiful, or the new tracks such as “Colors,” which Beck said they were playing for only the second time, and the deliriously joyful “Up All Night,” for the third time only, every song had its own magic.
“It feels special to be here,” Beck said at one point. “Our last official show in L.A. was three years ago.” He also referred to playing in front of so many friends and family. Maybe it was the absence or the setting or he just felt fired up this night, which was evident from his brilliant movements, which looked like he was conducting an orchestra while pogoing or even mimicked Mick Jagger during the show-stopping encore of “Where It’s At,” but there was no lull or letup from him or the audience, who remained standing during what he called “The finger-picking songs” or the new material that was so strong fans actually wanted more of it. When was the last time you went to a show and did not see the audience run off to the bathrooms or beer lines during the last songs?
That was also a testament to the clear bond and respect the audience had for Beck. During the encore, Beck does this absolutely delightful band intro where he lets every one of his stellar musicians do a mini-cover of a song, such as bassist Dwayne Moore showing off his prowess on Chic’s “Good Times” or keyboardist Roger Manning having some fun with his dead-on Michael McDonald impression during “Taking It To The Streets.” Well, last night, Beck and guitarist Jason Falkner paid a beautiful tribute to the late Tom Petty, with a rendition of “American Girl.” Before the song Beck called Petty one of their favorite artists and said, “Music would not be the same the last 40 years without Tom Petty.” He added that growing up in L.A. Petty was part of the fabric of Southern California.
More than two decades into his career now, the same can very much be said for Beck. And that was felt last night in the love between artist and audience. Beck is part of L.A. This is where his legend was born and created. Last night was definitely a big part of that legend. This felt like one of those shows that will be talked about years from now. Then again, given how rare a perfect game is, if you get to see one, as Beck fans did last night, it should be treasured.
