Steve Poltz @ Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley, CA, USA, 02/06/2025

No opening act on Thursday night at the Freight. Steve kicked off the show with the striking instrumental Chinese Checkers, then moved into Silver Lining from his solo debut album. A bit later, he captivated the audience by performing the timeless folk tune She Moved Through the Fair.

The setlist featured several standout originals from Poltz — I particularly enjoyed Petrichor and Dreamhouse. His performance style is certainly one of a kind — perhaps a bit too theatrical for my taste, as his between-song banter often morphs into a full-fledged comedy act. While not entirely my cup of tea, it's undeniably engaging. Covers were well represented too, with Neil Young's Birds delivered especially beautifully. For the encore, we were treated to a medley of John Hartford's Presbyterian Guitar and On Saturday Afternoons in 1963 by Rickie Lee Jones, followed by an irresistibly fun original musical sandwich, layering I Want All My Friends to Be Happy around My First Beer With My Brand New Liver in the middle.

A thoroughly entertaining concert that stretched beyond two hours!

Set list (8:08 PM — 10:14 PM): Chinese Checkers (instrumental), Silver Lining, Little Martha (instrumental), She Moved Through the Fair, The Hand-Me-Down Dudes, The Son of God, Joyride, Petrichor, Me and Eddie Vedder, Birds, Ashokan Farewell, Dreamhouse, Can O' Pop, 10 Chances, Meg Ryan, Grandma's Feather Bed, Presbyterian Guitar > On Saturday Afternoons in 1963 (encore), I Want All My Friends to Be Happy > My First Beer With My Brand New Liver > I Want All My Friends to Be Happy (encore)

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