The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Saturday night, I saw Neko Case live in concert. It was at an outdoor park in historic Lowell, Massachusetts. We sat on lawn chairs and I was literally front row center, putting my feet up on the low steps to the stage. Neko was maybe 15 feet in front of me, like 2 feet up. It was fantastic. It was quiet in between songs and I could hear them tuning guitars, feet shuffling on stage. Some stage volume was occasionally mixed in with the PA, but very little.

The band was fantastic: bass, drums, guitar/keys guy, guitar/pedal steel/banjo guy, her great backup singer and Neko and her wonderful voice. She did songs from her entire career, a cover or two, and was engaging in between songs. I was not star-struck as much as I was delighted to see how the musician's did what they did, but watching Neko was fun to kind of see where she went during songs.

The opening act was a gal named Laura Veirs from Portland, Oregon. She played guitar with a looper and Neko's drummer. Reminded me at times of a better singing Tanya Donnelly. Very good as well.

QOTD: So. Seen any good acts lately? international, national, local, etc.? Going to?

Going to see The Beards on Wednesday night

They are blokes with beards - and all they play is beard related songs:

Paco Del Stinko wrote:Saturday night, I saw Neko Case live in concert. It was at an outdoor park in historic Lowell, Massachusetts. We sat on lawn chairs and I was literally front row center, putting my feet up on the low steps to the stage. Neko was maybe 15 feet in front of me, like 2 feet up. It was fantastic. It was quiet in between songs and I could hear them tuning guitars, feet shuffling on stage. Some stage volume was occasionally mixed in with the PA, but very little.

The band was fantastic: bass, drums, guitar/keys guy, guitar/pedal steel/banjo guy, her great backup singer and Neko and her wonderful voice. She did songs from her entire career, a cover or two, and was engaging in between songs. I was not star-struck as much as I was delighted to see how the musician's did what they did, but watching Neko was fun to kind of see where she went during songs.

The opening act was a gal named Laura Veirs from Portland, Oregon. She played guitar with a looper and Neko's drummer. Reminded me at times of a better singing Tanya Donnelly. Very good as well.

QOTD: So. Seen any good acts lately? international, national, local, etc.? Going to?

This past Saturday night, my girlfriend and I went to a bar downtown that was showcasing female-fronted folk bands, including a local band that we've both been really into lately, Grace Park and the Deer.

The week before that, we saw The Mountain Goats. Ran into my ex at that one. How fun.

I've never seen Neko Case live, but I'd sure like to. I loved her last album, and I hear she puts on a good show.

DRC: Day 3 of my 75-day weekend. Already getting bored. Wrists hurt too much to do any of my projects though. Yesterday I rode my bike around the lake (with a couple of shopping stops along the way).

QOTD: I enjoy watching the various performers who busk in various locations around Seattle. I don't know any of their names though. I can't remember the last actual concert I've gone to. Probably Miracles of Modern Science a year and a half ago. god damn I suck.

I saw Audra McDonald in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" where she plays Billy Holiday three months before she died in 1959. It was an amazing performance both dramatically (she's mostly a drunk and drug addict at that point) and musically. Her voice was insanely, maybe even creepily, nuanced and closing your eyes you just hear Billy Holiday. She won a Tony for it. If you're in NYC and care about this kind of stuff you might try and get tix.

I'm looking forward to seeing Heisei Nakamura-za next week, a Kabuki ensemble led by an artist whose unbroken family lineage in Kabuki theater goes back to the 17th century.

After that, it's the Bolshoi, some dance group from Russia...not sure if they're any good. Probably all break-dance rip-offs. And a bunch of Cuban and Brazilian acts.

Oh yeah, I'm still trying to decide whether I want to go see Fuck Buttons on Tuesday night. On the plus side, I like Fuck Buttons, but on the minus side, I have a plane trip the next day that I'd rather not miss.

The last show I saw was Over the Rhine. They're always good, I've seen them a bunch since my wife is a big fan.
The next show I know about is Phantogram, that one was my pick. Not till Oct tho. No idea if anyone knows who they are.
-bill

So I'm waiting for Fuck Buttons to go on. Woo.

Also I remembered that more recently than Miracles of Modern science I saw Beats Antique, who were FANTASIC live.

We saw Medeski, Martin, Scofield and Wood recently. Amazing! John Scofield is my favorite guitar wizard and Chris Wood is probably the best bass player I've ever seen play. John Medeski and Billy Martin are awesome too. It was inspiring to see some top notch musicianship.