Iris DeMent @ HopMonk Tavern, Novato, CA, USA, 04/27/2025

The first show in the 2025 Cookout Concert Series sold out well in advance. KC Turner has scheduled 43 concerts in HopMonk's beergarden this year, he is a real GOAT!

Ana Egge opened the late afternoon program, kicking off the set with a catchy tune Girls Girls Girls. She sounded great, her ringing acoustic guitar filling the air, and I really liked the songs performed. Rock Me (Divine Mother) was another strong example of her craft. It turned out that the late great Steve James had been Ana's longtime friend and mentor. He happens to be one of my all-time favorite contemporary acoustic blues pickers, and I have six of his albums in my collection! Ana paid tribute by performing Steve's Talco Girl. Later, before covering a Ted Hawkins song, she asked if anyone remembered him. Not only do I remember this great guy, but I also have five of his CDs. Ana and I are definitely living on some common musical waves!

Ana returned as part of Iris DeMent's band, playing guitar and mandolin, while Liz Draper handled the bass duties. Iris delivered a wonderful set, moving between guitar and piano. Her vocals sounded fresh and full of life, everything was strong instrumentally, and the songs were absolutely terrific. I really enjoyed her version of the great Russian poet Anna Akhmatova's Listening to Singing, and it was inspiring to hear a song dedicated to the memory of Alexey Navalny. The banter between songs was a lot of fun. I learned that Iris once drove her now-retired husband, musician Greg Brown, to the wrong HopMonk location for a gig. Wow!

The audience was mostly older people. Younger folks, you missed it, you would have really enjoyed this show.

What a fantastic way to kick off the Cookout season!

Set list (Ana Egge, 4:32 PM — 5:08 PM): Girls Girls Girls, Cocaine Cowboys, Talco Girl, Rock Me (Divine Mother), I Am Illegal, Sorry You're Sick, Dance Around the Room with Me

Set list (Iris DeMent, 5:32 PM — 7:08 PM): The Way I Should, ? ("...feeling you get driving in the rain"), Listening to Singing, Mornin' Glory (Iris on piano), Workin' on a World (Iris on piano), Say a Good Word (Iris on piano), Calling for You, Nothin' for the Dead, The Sacred Now, This Love's Gonna Last, Easy's Gettin' Harder Every Day, Warriors of Love (Iris on piano), My Life (Iris on piano), Let The Mystery Be (encore), Our Town (encore)

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