Oh, how I love live music!! There's just something electrifying about being in a room full of people who all love what's coming from the stage, who bond in the dark over memorized tune progressions and bits of lyrics. Music connects people in a way that very few things can, even if it's just for a couple of hours.
I went to see Katie Herzig in concert a couple of weeks ago. She was great! (It probably helped that this was my first concert since September but she undoubtedly knows how to put on a show.)
Here's one from her brand new album:
She talked about her dad watching this for the first time and how he wasn't sure how to react other than to say things like, "Well, it's very white," and "It's definitely different than anything else you've done." And she just laughed and said, "It's called 'art'." I definitely don't understand everything about art but I know what I like and I do love her voice!
She didn't perform this song, but it's one of my favorites.
I had been a little discouraged leaving all the fabulous venues in DC but Salt Lake's got a pretty decent music scene and I've already got a few shows on tap for later this summer. (Yes, Katie, tickets for The Head and the Heart have been purchased!) Who was your last concert? Who is your next concert? Who is your dream concert? Or are you not a concert goer at all? I'd love to hear why (and then convince you that you, of course, are wrong :) but we can still be friends...maybe.)
Earlier this week my sister sent me a forwarded email from the 9:30 Club with the injunction: if you don't have anything to do this Saturday you have to go see this guy. As it happened I didn't have anything pressing to do Saturday night so I conned a mutual friend (we'll call him Mr. B) into going with me. "This guy" refers to Martin Sexton, a musician I'd never heard of and wouldn't have (and hadn't) made it onto my radar but I'm glad to have had no great plans and a pushy sister 'cause the concert was great.
Now go with me on this 'cause it's not going to sound like a complement and isn't going to accurately describe him but with my limited pool of influence to draw from this was how I kept thinking of him in my mind. If John Mayer and Aaron Neville had a baby, baptized him in heavy blues and beat box, sprinkled him with some jazzy scat and soul and added a pinch of yodeling for kicks the final creation would be Martin Sexton. An odd mish mosh to be sure (and I for one cannot stand Aaron Neville) but somehow it all worked in his favor. And I'm serious about the yodeling. He started his set with a yodeled song. It was downright lovely and had an improvised sort of feel to it. A minute or so into it Mr. B leans over and whispers incredulously, "Is that the national anthem?" By golly, it was! There was enough playing with rhythms and notes that at first it was almost unrecognizable but once you picked up the underlying melody there was no denying it.
Here's a taste:
His opening band was a duet group called Alternate Routes who were relatively generic in sound but who won me over when they pulled out a harmonica and then some electric toolbox with rocks in it. I'm sure there's a name for it but I'm too lazy to research right now so if anyone knows what it's called please feel free to enlighten me. Whatever it was though it added a lovely earthy flavor to the mix and made me admire the guy's arm strength and rhythm as he hefted it over and over throughout the entire song. The longer they played the more I loved them.
I spent just over two hours with my good friend Neil tonight. He's getting along in years and time is beginning to take its toll but he's still got a lot in him. His voice is a bit deeper and a lot more rough and gravelly than it was when he was younger. He pulled off a pretty decent Rex Harrison impression in some of the more vigorous moments and took some time out to reminisce (like any old man would) but otherwise he went non-stop.
At times he waxed philosophical and faced his mortality and other times discussed some of the loves in his life. He had a come-to-Jesus moment and together (with 50,000 of our closest friends) we sang Sweet Caroline at the top of our lungs...5 times! Not bad for a fella who's practically old enough to be my grandpa!
Here's one we didn't get a chance to hear...
(He's still just as stylish as ever!) While we didn't get to experience the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders tonight there was a snazzy trio of ladies that helped to re-kindle my secret desire to be a 60s era back-up singer (ala the Supremes). Those people get to have all the fun! Where does one go to school for that?
Oh, and there was a harmonica! It doesn't get much better than that!
I spent a few glorious hours basking in the sounds of the Avett Brothers tonight. What a fabulous way to spend an evening! Ah~Maz~Ing!*
Here are just a few of the highlights:
floor seats
bass that rattles your rib cage
a banjo that tingles you to your bones
harmonies and blends that are so close and sweet they can only be achieved by people who are related to each other
people watching (the old couple that clapped wildly but never on beat, the guy near the stage who jumped up and down and writhed orgasmic-ly the entire time...wow!)
words and tunes that seep into your soul
voices that are at once raw, gritty, smooth and sultry
a little bit of crazy dancing
a touch of gospel, bluegrass, country, folk and rock
not to mention the harmonica, the cello, the various guitars, the drums and the whistling
2 solid hours of musical bliss
And for your listening pleasure...
You're welcome! Hope your dreams tonight are as sweet as mine are going to be. 'Night all!
On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...5 goooold rings!
I had the wonderful opportunity of singing this (and all of the other 'days of Christmas') with the National Philharmonic Singers today. I've got a friend who sings with them and he invited me to their concert this afternoon in Maryland. So I dashed from church (after singing in the church Christmas program...you can never have too much Christmas music) and drove like a madwoman through Sunday afternoon traffic to arrive just in the nick of time.
The choir is smallish, 28 members or so, and they combined with the Washington Symphonic Brass to put on a spectacular show. The first part of the concert they performed a set together and then a set each on their own. There was a great mix of traditional, unfamiliar, religious, secular, accompanied, a capella, lively and mellow tunes.
The second half was much the same, a great combination of the choir and the brass ensemble. (I think I need to learn to play the trumpet.) At the end of the show though they had a short set of audience participation songs. Dividing the audience in half they had us stand up alternating on the odds/evens depending on which group we were in, for the 12 Days of Christmas. (My thighs may never forgive me.) And then the closing number was the Hallelujah chorus.
I missed out on a full performance of The Messiah this year so I was glad to get even this little bit in. It's such an amazing work. So, for your listening pleasure today let's listen in on this rendition by the MoTab. Feel free to sing along!
I have a friend who has an amazing ability to discover semi-unknown and quirky bands. She's introduced me to a whole host of tunes and styles and new faves.
K and I (along with S) met in DC tonight in the basement of a BBQ eatery where we enjoyed the standing room only sounds of Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three. They are quite the entertaining little group with a great old-timey sound. (I'm a teeny bit enamored of the harmonica player.) Check it out.
**Bonus**As there was no cover charge it was a great night's entertainment had all for just the price of my metro ride. I love this city!
After my thoroughly wasted week spent entirely in my apartment and alternating between the uber exciting venues of my bed and the couch I was ready for an adventure. The spirit was willing even if the flesh was weak, and it was VERY weak. I hadn't eaten anything resembling a meal since Monday (no, saltines and Ginger Ale do not resemble a meal!) and though I was feeling much improved I was very, very tired. But there was no way I was going to miss out on the one thing I had planned for the entire year (I really need to get on the ball here, I know!) So, I loaded my sorry self into the car with a few friends and we took off for the exotic locale of...wait for it...Pittsburgh, PA. That's right, home of the not-so-victorious Super Bowl participants of the past weekend and, well, not much else. But there was method in our madness. You see, we had purchased some much looked forward to concert tickets a few months back and it was time to use them. But more on that in a minute.
After 4 hours of driving (ie, trying to sleep in the car) we made it to town and stopped at the #1 tourist attraction, the Duquesne Incline! (**insert slightly sarcastic voice here**) Originally used as transportation for the many workers in the vast steel production facilities, there are actually several inclines (or 'funiculars' if you'd rather) throughout the area, but the Duqesne (pronounced doo-kayne) provides the best view.
As seen here
and here
Quite a charming place from this angle. There's just something about bridges that add to the likability of a place and I love that they've painted all of theirs a nice, cheery yellow. Good call, Pittsburgh!
So, you pay your money to ride the little tram up the hill and, if you are like us, you have been lead to believe that there are shops and restaurants and things to help you pass the time. Not so. We were disappointed in the lack of anything really at the top so we took a few chilly photos and then went back down to the parking lot. Not quite what we'd hoped, but it was kind of cute.
But then it was on to the real reason for our adventure...Jon Bon Jovi!!! Let me just preface all of this with the fact that I was practically comatose with exhaustion at this point and yet he did not fail to impress or get (and keep) me up on my feet for a good portion of the 3 hours. I credit his 'bad medicine' for the miraculous change (sorry, couldn't help it!)
Seriously though, I would kill for a teeny, tiny bit of his energy, much less his talent. The man sashayed and kicked and high-stepped and jumped and bounded and punched and wiggled his spirit fingers/jazz hands all while crooning and wowing us. He was an aerobic video gone wild! We all decided he should release a work-out DVD. Come on, you know you'd buy it! :)
You can't tell from the pictures here. My little camera can't begin to do it all justice and I had to shoot him in his more subdued moments to make them come out not-so-fuzzy. But, you can see a bit of the beauty that is him. He has aged very nicely, and I attribute it all to his nightly aerobics sessions!
There's something inspiring about seeing someone in their element with such power and control over not only their gifts but a sold-out audience of thousands. Even to be in that audience has its power. Joining your voice with the voices of those around you to shout out at the top of your lungs words that you all know in a spirit of pure enjoyment is an amazingly magical experience.
Here's just a tiny taste of what it was like...sort of!
And the front man always seems to get the most attention, but major props to Richie Sambora. He is a guitar genius!
Any live performances in your near future? Any favorite concert memories from years past? The weekend is over but here's hoping you find a bit of musical or entertainment happiness in the days to come. (Maybe from the Grammy's that I'm not watching right now...anyone care to catch me up?)
