Jackie Greene Packed the Catalyst Saturday

Playing a kind of straightforward rock that one might suspect had gone out of style since the creation of hip-hop or electronica Jackie Greene packed the house at the Calalyst Saturday with an audience that was most surprising in its diversity of ages.

Tattoed miniskirt wearing women danced alongside people old enough to be their grandparents and all appreciated a kind of straight melodic rock that began before the Beatles and has, suprisingly, stayed in style for more than half a century.

He plays songs that could be from the Crosby, Stills and Nash songbook, spiced with longer jams from the Grateful Dead's repertoire. Those were rounded out by a bit of country twang and some blues covers. And he played long: two sets ending well after midnight, something else that is more reminiscent of the '60s or '70s.

In an earlier era, Greene would have been a well-known star, probably as famous as Jackson Browne or Bonnie Raitt. But in an age of American Idol his straightforward songwriting has few outlets.

Only a handful of radio stations play this music anymore. Luckily one of them is KPIG-FM (107.5) in Watsonville, which explains the fact that he can bring almost 1,000 people into the Catalyst for $18 a head.

He had an early start in a music career and traveling as arduously as he does, he may yet reach the heights of earlier day troubadours with a radio or TV hit everyone will know. A lot of his songs should be there already.

Or he may be happy to continue playing out as he does, spreading his songs in a low-tech way, live and in person.