Silver Jews lead fans to Promised Land

By Scott Orwig
Collegian Staff
April 5, 2006

Formed in 1989 by David Berman, Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich, one might expect Silver Jews to be a group of grizzled, road-weary musicians nearing the ends of their careers. Well, that’s only partially right.

Malkmus and Nastanovich spent quite a bit of time on the road on their way to becoming indie-rock demigods with Pavement. However, Berman, the leader of the Silver Jews – their Moses, if you will – never once took the band wandering into the endless desert of a nationwide tour. That is, of course, until just this year.

The band’s March 21 performance at Philadelphia’s Starlight Ballroom was the band’s ninth show ever, and while it quickly became evident that Berman was not quite yet accustomed to playing live, the Silver Jews managed to put on an absolutely captivating show. As is to be expected for a band that has been around for 17 years, the Jews’ lineup has changed a bit. Ex-Pavement frontman Malkmus has since moved on to a solo career, but Nastanovich continues to contribute drums to the band. Two touring guitarists and Berman’s wife, Cassie, have also been added to the lineup. Cassie plays bass and provides the occasional vocals.

After a not-quite-short-enough opening set by the Baird Sisters, Berman and Co. took to the stage adorned with obviously brand-new equipment – a far cry from the hodgepodge of duct tape and ripped tolex usually found on a band’s touring rig. Also unusual to the stage was a music stand which Berman used to read lyrics.

“I have brain damage and I’m not ashamed to talk about it,” he said. “I couldn’t remember these songs to save my life.”

Despite playing in front of a crowd that likely knew the words better than he did, Berman made it through the set with a number of quizzical glances at the music stand, but no lyrical mishaps. Berman’s wife handled her vocal duties without the aid of a music stand, presumably because she is not brain damaged.

Over the course of 90 minutes, the Jews provided the audience with a career-spanning set, playing songs from all six of the group’s studio albums. Highlights of the night included strong renditions of “Random Rules” and “Smith and Jones Forever,” from 1998’s American Water, “Punks in the Beerlight,” off of the latest release, Tanglewood Numbers, and Starlight Walkers’ standout track “New Orleans.”

It was evident that Berman enjoyed the live setting, interjecting jokes and other asides into the songs. After one riff on JFK Jr.’s plane crash, an audience member jokingly shouted, “Too soon!”

Later in the set, Berman deadpanned a joke about Adam and Eve that initially sounded so similar to a serious theological musing that much of the audience seemed oblivious to the fact that it was a joke, even after the punch line of “…and Adam asked, what can I get for a rib?”

Following the joke, Berman explained that prior to the tour, he and the band had a meeting where it was decided that Berman would use the live setting as a chance to interact with the crowd. Mission accomplished.

Though the performance was shaky at times, Berman never failed to entertain the crowd, or himself. Whether it was through a great song or just a moment of neurotic comedy, the crowd seemed more than receptive and willing to bear with the band as it worked the kinks out of its fledgling live show.

For fans of the band, it probably didn’t matter how good Silver Jews were, just as long as the band was actually playing live. The uninitiated may have been slightly underwhelmed, but they should just wait until the next time Berman and the Silver Jews come to Philly when they’ll have the whole touring thing under control by then. And in the meantime, give American Water a couple listens – it’s an amazing record.

orwigs1@lasalle.edu