Iron and Wine
A reunion of Sam Beam and Calexico, from last year’s magical joint-effort In the Reins, happened Wednesday night on the Austin City Limits soundstage but not in Zilker Park. Still, Beam’s tight sixpiece helped the recent Texas transplant put together a tremendously rewarding set, his crystal vocals and unparalleled song-stories carrying the day. The performance included Sade-like dance grooves, a few hard rockers, and a taste of swamp boogie that recalled the singer’s earlier tenure in Florida. Given a determinedly late collegiate crowd, ballads such as “Upward of the Mountain” and “Naked as We Came” emerged as heartfelt sing-alongs. With the cool evening chasing the setting sun, Beam, his band, and the audience gained energy as the boggy air lifted; through his thick beard, the singer cracked wise about the heat and observed that Willie was gathering a huge crowd elsewhere in the park. For loyal fans who stuck around past the stirring “Jezebel” and deep into the set, Beam served up a few special moments as a thank you.
This article appears in September 22 • 2006.