It’s time for the return of retro Friday when we celebrate a great video from yesteryear. In 2015, Dave Rawlings Machine released ‘Nashville Obsolete’, a second album in this particular project from Dave Rawlings and his long-time partner Gillian Welch. Of course, Rawlings and Welch are both critically-acclaimed and gifted songwriters in their own right. Put them together and the combination is irresistible. The opening song from this exceptional album is ‘The Weekend’, on which their harmonies are beautifully understated and melodious. Rawlings is an outstanding guitar player and this song is notable for the wonderful acoustic interlude halfway through and similarly gorgeous guitar-work during the final minute.
The video for the song is a brilliantly-shot road trip directed by Reid Long. We see the pair packing up their car – a vintage Chevy Impala they first toured in – before hitting the road in matching Nudie Suits and eventually arriving at the Pacific, laughing as the waves burst over their feet while they play. The trip was real, as was the unplanned car breakdown partway to the West Coast. Rawlings said at the time: “It was the craziest idea to document a weekend trip from Music City to the beach and back.” As a viewer, it’s great to share in the experience. Enjoy.
