07.08.2004 Guster FleetBoston Pavilion, Boston, MA

07.08.2004 Guster FleetBoston Pavilion, Boston, MA
Opener: Rufus Wainwright
Ben Folds

Credit Guster and company for putting together this short tour and deftly blending some varied musical tastes. On the face of it, the only thing uniting Guster with Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds is the college rock scene. But the lack of pretension among the musicians, and the respect for each other’s styles, made it work. Each band was given equal time on stage, and they traded off headlining duties from show to show. On the first of two nights in Boston, Guster showed up as the headliner, but put in two early appearances, the first to jam with Ben Folds on a unspectacular version of “Fair” that seemed more of a soundcheck than the real thing. Then to cover “One Man Guy” and “April Fools” with Rufus Wainwright. When they finally launched into their main set, the sun had set, the temperature had cooled, and the college crowd was bombed.

Guster did their usual thing, playing with Brian Rosenworcel’s percussive force of nature behind three guitars and out of control harmonies. Both the acoustic guitar and the slide guitar got full workouts during the set, giving a few songs a country-twang feel, and slipping into a disco-esque twilight at the end of a few others. “Homecoming King” was the best, a hometown favorite, and their harmonies sounded better on this song than any other. They busted out an agreeable version of “Two at a Time” and were joined on “Come Downstairs and Say Hello” by Rufus Wainwright (hands down the best collaboration of the night, even though it definitely had not been rehearsed.)

Given that this particular line-up will probably never tour again, the musicians gets some props just for showing up. The collaborative endeavors throughout the night were not stunning, but just to see these guys on stage for a few minutes together made the night exceptional.

Guster Setlist
Demons
Amsterdam
Happier
Careful
Airport Song
Barrel of a Gun
Two at a Time
Homecoming King
Either Way
Come Downstairs and Say Hello (with Rufus Wainwright)
I Spy
Fa Fa
Encore
All the Way Up to Heaven (with Ben Folds)
Bridge Over Troubled Water (with Ben Folds)