»I used to be darker, then I got lighter, then I got dark again.« These are the first words Callahan sings that evening — a line from »Jim Cain« that serves as both a deadpan self-portrait and one of his more memorable aphorisms. It’s hard to imagine a better opening. With just a Telecaster in his hands, a hi-hat under his left foot, a bass pedal under his right, and that unmistakable baritone, the singer-songwriter offers a stripped-down best-of set that drifts through the church with reverent calm.
With eight solo albums under his own name and at least as many as Smog, Callahan has built a catalogue deep enough to allow for careful curation. On this occasion, he puts some emphasis on Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle, his 2009 fan favourite. Alongside the opener, he plays »Eid Ma Clack Shaw« and »Too Many Birds«, the latter closing on a coda that builds itself word by word: »If you could only stop your heart beat for one heart beat«. It’s one of his bleakest moments — steeped in depression, heartbreak and isolation.
Songs from all phases
The Smog track »Cold Blooded Old Times« also makes the cut, and as the figure of Christ looms above the stage, Callahan’s wry and bruised lyrics seem to align more closely with that particular setting than one might expect. In a rare aside, he remarks with a grin: »The next song is from the 21st century.«
That’s followed by material from YTI⅃AƎЯ, received with no less enthusiasm — perhaps even more. The show may remain hushed and measured, but the audience’s response grows warmer with each song. By the end, Callahan breaks from the setlist to offer a final encore: »Let’s Move To The Country«. Around 500 quietly elated faces drift out into the mild Berlin summer night.
