Bill Callahan had left the stage. Old timey jazz music played over the PA system but the house stayed dark. The crowd, unsure which cue to heed, quietly lingered. A fitting end to the show. Musical personae creates expectations. Narrative infuses much of Callahan’s work, so I expected an evening with a storyteller, the kind of performer who goes on long rambles between songs. Not the case. Instead a shy man, uncertain how to respond to, let alone parlay, friendly comments shouted from the crowd occupied the stage. His reserve granted the stories in the songs even more subtlety and power.
