Recent Concerts You've Enjoyed

Thought this might be a fun thread and a way to find out about acts on tour.

My wife and I saw the Smoke Fairies at the Tractor Tavern last evening as the opening act for Rasputina. The Smoke Fairies are a 'folk blues' duo from Wales and have been described as "Bob Dylan's dream." I thought that their debut release "Through Low Light and Trees" was one of last year's best. It was just the two principles singing and playing guitar. Really terrific concert with excellent acoustics and thankfully not too loud.

If you are ever in Seattle, the Tractor Tavern is a great venue in the Ballard neighborhood. Very fun people watching...I think my wife and I were the only ones without tattoos! I got to chat with them after their set and had my LP signed. I love the lilting Welsh accents!

Here's a video of "Hotel Room" from their debut LP:

[video]

 

Procol Harum & Yes!
Awesome show just a couple of weeks ago in DC, had perfect seats.

 

Saw The Bad Plus for the fifth time last night. Played mainly material from their new release "Made Possible" which is one of the best CDs of the year. Here's a little taste:

The Empire Strikes Backward:

Dirty Blonde:

 

Was in NYC visiting schools with my son this week and we caught Jimmy Heath's Big Band at the Blue Note for Jimmy's 86th Birthday Bash. Killer band and great concert. The band chipped in and surprised Jimmy with an iPad for a birthday present!

 

Saw Jon Faddis at Koerner Hall, Toronto. A good way to spend a Halloween night out.

 

Friday night I saw Renaissance perform. First half of the show was a selection from their back catalog including a couple of tracks from their upcoming album. The second set was a complete run through of the "Novella" album. It was the best I've heard Annie Haslam sound in years. I felt like I was in the Wayback Machine.

 

Recently heard Calexico play the Neptune in Seattle. My first time in the Neptune which is a renovated movie house almost 100 years old and holds about 800 people. The acoustics are terrific and the beer is cheap! Terrific band and great concert with multiple encores. They were joined by Devotchka (who were in town for a concert the following evening) for a few songs.

Their website currently has a free download of "Para" from the new LP "Alegiers", audio streams and videos....http://www.casadecalexico.com/

 

Three recent treats in the St. Louis area:
Robert Cray and Kenny Wayne Shephard: Besides the great music of each band, it was in one of the local casinos in a room that probably held 350 folks; similarly,
Marcia Ball: I've followed her music for 30 years, and she appeared in a renovated old movie theater in Edwardsville, IL, which holds around 250.

I always enjoy live music better in small venues.

Finally, Lyle Lovett and his Large Band. In the renovated Opera House, holds about 3,000. Lots of stories between songs. Great acoustics.

 

Here's a recent concert I most assuredly did not enjoy: Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) at the SODO Showbox last weekend. I'm a big fan of her music and have a major crush on her.

I endured two crappy warm up acts including white wannabes doing some kind of speed metal rap...So after two hours Chan comes on stage and she looks like hell. Her voice sounds great but electronic drums are so loud they homogenize every song. Left after an hour, by which time about a quarter of the crowd had also voted with their feet.

Then yesterday I get this email....

Cat Power has postponed her upcoming European tour dates due to health reasons, giving the following statement:

"As many of my fans know, I've been suffering from angioedema. It can attack at random & is extremely frightening and dangerous when it hits my throat, windpipe, or tongue, and I've been hospitalized for it eight times since the first attack, 2 DAYS AFTER MY RECORD RELEASE. Since then, I worked very very hard with all the best allergists, cardiologists, neurologists, accupuncurists, homeopathists & renowned healers that I could find, Body Talk, Reiki, Yoga, etc. so that I COULD DO THIS AMERICAN TOUR. I did my best & I want to do MORE & BETTER.
The American tour has been wonderful and amazing, and with me being unable to AFFORD to bring my show with full production, (which i helped create) to Europe, financially, really dumped a huge additional amount of stress on me as i was and still am fighting trying to get tour support.
I have to postpone my European tour until early next year, so I can return home and re-engage myself back into my health regimen.
I ******* love my fans. Everything I do regarding my career, I FIRST, think of my fans and this world we all share. But right now, I HAVE TO think of myself because I have to learn trough meditation & being clear from alcohol & cigarettes & red meat and lots of rest amongst my menagerie of doctors…. I have to think of MYSELF right now because I have to now LEARN to heal myself. Through that, I can learn to help others to heal themselves. I know my fans will understand and I thank them and love them much more than I believe they could ever know. I am here and do what I do, for them and because of them. You have kept me alive this long, I refuse to give up on you OR MYSELF. And that goes to all the journalists who write a true story as well. To you all in the struggle. May light be on your path at every step."

SIGHHH

 

Jazz At Lincoln Center Concerts Streaming Online

Just an FYI- Jazz At Lincoln Center has some great live streams of concerts. There are a couple this evening. You can check it out at their website: http://jalc.org/multimedia/webcasts

 

Saw the Who at the Gwinnet Arena this monday. Great show.

 

Mahler's 5th performed by the CSO in Chicago.
That reminds me...I have to buy tickets for the Rite of Spring concert...

 

Heard two great shows this week.

Pearl Django playing hot jazz at Boxley's in North Bend....Here's a taste:

Then got to see Damien Jurado solo at St. Mark's Cathedral last evening.

Beautiful space, terrific concert....

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTnBjeUAKS8urJbjdqfgSMRr0abGYLNm 2iqJpiqp9vjKv4jeUk8sA

 

Symphony Hall: Verdi Requiem/Daniele Gatti in January, top; and Saint Saens Symphony #3/Christoph Eschenbach last night, bottom





It's remarkable how close this LP http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/1...aint_Saens_Symphony_No3-200_Gram_Vinyl_Record is to what I heard in just about everything, especially the organ's pitch definition, power and scale; and how subpar the XRCD edition of the same is

 

Great shots of what were surely 2 great concerts! thanks for posting.

 

Neil Young and Crazy Horse set the stage on fire for almost 3 hours in Melbourne last Friday.
This is his setlist....

Powderfinger
Love to Burn
Born in Ontario
Walk Like a Giant
Hole in the Sky
Heart of Gold
(acoustic solo)
Twisted Road
(acoustic solo)
Singer Without a Song
Ramada Inn
Cinnamon Girl
Cortez the Killer
F**kin' Up
Prisoners of Rock 'n' Roll
Welfare Mothers
Sedan Delivery
Hey Hey, My My
Encore:
Mr. Soul
Roll Another Number

 

Neil Young and Crazy Horse set the stage on fire for almost 3 hours in Melbourne last Friday.
This is his setlist....

Powderfinger
Love to Burn
Born in Ontario
Walk Like a Giant
Hole in the Sky
Heart of Gold
(acoustic solo)
Twisted Road
(acoustic solo)
Singer Without a Song
Ramada Inn
Cinnamon Girl
Cortez the Killer
F**kin' Up
Prisoners of Rock 'n' Roll
Welfare Mothers
Sedan Delivery
Hey Hey, My My
Encore:
Mr. Soul
Roll Another Number

Wow~hearing "Cinnamon Girl" live is on my bucket list!

 

Brian Lynch

My son and I got hear Grammy winning trumpeter Brian Lynch at Tula's last week. A really fabulous musician. Some of the top area high school musicians were the warm up act...

Here is a link to an audio clip from his website:

http://brianlynchjazz.com/files/2010/02/Big-Red-Tweak-w-L3-1024_06.mp3

 

Nothing beats those intimate type gigs-concerts IMO, sure you had a great night Jazdoc!
Cheers
Orb

 

The English Beat at Evanston Space last night. Good gig.

 

Saw Portland Cello Project at the Triple Door last night. First three songs were by Beck, Brubeck and Bach. They played several of Beck's "Song Book" collection. Extremely fun and highly recommended.

https://portlandcelloproject.com/