Jayhawks Kick Off Reunion Tour in Toronto

Although the set list at the sound board showed a few more songs that wouldn't be played, fans of Minnesota roots-rock band the Jayhawks left Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre more than satisfied Tuesday night.

The band, kicking off a short North American trek with emphasis on their albums 'Hollywood Town Hall' and 'Tomorrow the Green Grass' (both reissued Tuesday), delivered a stellar 23-song set that contained a healthy dose of Americana-inspired treasures. And like best friends who haven't seen each other in years, the quintet led by dual frontmen Gary Louris and Mark Olson instantly rekindled that chemistry that has endeared them to so many for so long.

Following a strong performance by Toronto-based opener Kirsten Jones -- whose debut album 'The Mad Mile' was produced by Louris -- Louris said he hoped fans "enjoyed our new direction" before the warm, roots-soaked 'Wichita' and 'Pray for Me' got things rolling.

Splitting the vocal duties fairly evenly, Olson spent most of the night strumming his acoustic guitar while Louris -- with support from keyboardist Karen Grotberg -- occasionally went to town on his electric guitar.

For the most part, though, it was the sweet, melodic, laidback tone that made songs such as the Dylan-esque 'Let the Critics Wonder,' 'Nothing Left to Borrow' and 'Two Hearts' come across so well. However, these seemed to pale somewhat when the Jayhawks brought out signatures like 'I'd Run Away,' 'Waiting for the Sun' and 'Blue,' which resulted in a loud sing-along.

After recalling their earlier days playing Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern, Louris looked back at his bandmates -- including drummer Tim O'Reagan and bassist Marc Perlman -- to say how thrilled he was to play with them all again before launching into 'Nevada, California.' The band also doled out a few new songs from their forthcoming album, a poppy, tight 'She Walks' and a murky, edgier 'Black Eyed Susan.'

Sounding ridiculously tight for a band with only a handful of shows under their belt the last six years, the Jayhawks returned for a three-song encore highlighted by 'Clouds' and a lengthy, memorable 'Lights' before hugs and waves concluded the show.

The short tour -- which hits New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Minneapolis -- is just a primer it seems -- Louris revealed a return to Toronto was already being planned for later in the year.

The Jayhawks Perform 'Wichita' in 2010