PREVIEW: Cowboy Junkies 40th Anniversary Tour

previewlive music

Sep 19

9/19 @ Bardovan Opera House, Poughkeepsie

“Cowboy Junkies have provided a gentle sonic haven to those looking for respite in a tumultuous world for four solid decades, and Bardovan Opera House will provide a beautiful backdrop for that legacy career.”

My first introduction to Cowboy Junkies was, perhaps like many millennials, their cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane”, which appears on the soundtrack for the cult classic movie Natural Born Killers. The alt-country and folk group’s near-lullaby rendition of that song was reportedly Lou Reed’s favorite version – high praise from the notoriously contrarian Reed.

Cowboy Junkies, now in their 40th year as a band and having never taken so much as a hiatus in all that time, have begun the North American leg of their tour. The group will play the Bardovan Opera House in Poughkeepsie, NY this Friday, September 19.

With no opening act, Cowboy Junkies plans to perform a large catalogue of songs, breaking the night into two sets. Guitarist Michael Timmins informs me, “We’re doing a relatively short opening set and then a longer second set. The first is looking at the very early [songs] and the second delves more deeply into the actual catalogue, The Trinity Session and that era, Lay It Down, and more. The whole show is basically a look-back… making sure we touch on all the eras of the band and hopefully we’ll hit songs that people have come to hear.”

Cowboy Junkies is comprised of the three Timmins siblings, including Michael, vocalist Margo, and drummer Peter, as well as longtime friend and bassist, Alan Anton. In considering the longevity of the band, some of that staying-power is owed in part to the fact that Cowboy Junkies share a family bond: “It comes down to communication. As the band’s grown and changed, our lives outside the band have [also], and we’ve made sure that we talk to each other about what’s working and not; especially when it comes to touring.”

In terms of what keeps them going, Timmins emphasizes that while the group makes sure that a tour fits comfortably into their lives, the real secret sauce is in continuing to play live: “Certainly for us, that’s the 40 years right there, it’s playing live. That’s where the joy is.” Cowboy Junkies have provided a gentle sonic haven to those looking for respite in a tumultuous world for four solid decades, and Bardovan Opera House will provide a beautiful backdrop for that legacy career. If intimate and tender Friday nights are your thing, the drive to Poughkeepsie is well worth it.