Di-di...concert tonight....di di...concert tonight
Played @ the Open Mike tonight. Before the show we filmed some TV spots for a local channel, advertising the Open Mike at Serious Coffee. They were Christmas themed so I sang an abridged version of "Needles and Pine", the old Smidgen song. Later, when James (the host) was being interviewed, the cameramen asked Sophie and myself to sing some songs in the background. So we ended up singing "Things We Said Today" and "Blackbird", both by you-know-who.
James and I did several songs as "Lemonshifter" including his deliciously harmonied filled children's tale of animal execution, "Duck Boy Is Dead". We also performed his new song "Changing Lanes" for which I came up with a great a capella intro. I also played a set with my girlfriend's brother, Matt. We did two songs as Johnny Cash (Matt) and Bob Dylan (me): Girl of the North Country (Nashville Skyline version) and Jump, by Van Halen, but sung by Johnny and Bob. Soooooo good! It went over really well. We then did a version of "Bad Timing" by Blue Rodeo for which he sang the lead. I'm really proud of him (he's only 15 and very nervous about performing). Just before doing my own set I joined Sophie on stage to sing harmonies with Sophie on the "Blackbird" we had rehearsed before.
I went late in the show, so I only got to perform three songs, but they all went over reaaaally well! First song was one from last year called "Break Inside". A fun, spritely little soul searching track with Hank Williams inspired chord changes, this was only the second time I'd ever played it live. I think it's good enough to become a permanent staple in my live acts though. Next up was a brand new song called "I Am A Painter". The songwriters at the open mike have been issuing songwriting challenges each week. Everyone is assigned a certain topic or word that they have to write a song about. Last week I was given "painting as a metaphor" from James, so I rather quickly wrote a very Jackson Browne-ish acoustic fingerpicked song about a painting as a metaphor for where my life is going. One of my best songs...ever. I'm surprised with how well it turned out. The last song was "What's Wrong With Me", which was a request, even though I'd only played it once the week before! I broke a string halfway through but didn't flinch. In fact I performed even more intensely after the snap! Not a single person noticed apparently.
Setlist:
Lemonshifter:
1. Duck Boy Is Dead
2. I Want You To Want Me (Cheap Trick cover)
3. Changing Lanes
4. Happy Texas
with Matt Bullock:
1. Jump (as Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash)
2. Girl Of the North County (as Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash)
3. Bad Timin' (Blue Rodeo cover)
with Sophie (last name forgotten):
1. Blackbird
Solo set:
1. Break Inside
2. I Am A Painter
3. What's Wrong With Me
I've been writing so heavily lately. I think that because the completion and release of "Songs of the Teenage Love" is so close at hand my mental block has been lifted and I'm tapping back into the great creative space of letting the chips fall where they may and not "thinking" about the music any more. It feels good to be in touch with the muse again.
James and I did several songs as "Lemonshifter" including his deliciously harmonied filled children's tale of animal execution, "Duck Boy Is Dead". We also performed his new song "Changing Lanes" for which I came up with a great a capella intro. I also played a set with my girlfriend's brother, Matt. We did two songs as Johnny Cash (Matt) and Bob Dylan (me): Girl of the North Country (Nashville Skyline version) and Jump, by Van Halen, but sung by Johnny and Bob. Soooooo good! It went over really well. We then did a version of "Bad Timing" by Blue Rodeo for which he sang the lead. I'm really proud of him (he's only 15 and very nervous about performing). Just before doing my own set I joined Sophie on stage to sing harmonies with Sophie on the "Blackbird" we had rehearsed before.
I went late in the show, so I only got to perform three songs, but they all went over reaaaally well! First song was one from last year called "Break Inside". A fun, spritely little soul searching track with Hank Williams inspired chord changes, this was only the second time I'd ever played it live. I think it's good enough to become a permanent staple in my live acts though. Next up was a brand new song called "I Am A Painter". The songwriters at the open mike have been issuing songwriting challenges each week. Everyone is assigned a certain topic or word that they have to write a song about. Last week I was given "painting as a metaphor" from James, so I rather quickly wrote a very Jackson Browne-ish acoustic fingerpicked song about a painting as a metaphor for where my life is going. One of my best songs...ever. I'm surprised with how well it turned out. The last song was "What's Wrong With Me", which was a request, even though I'd only played it once the week before! I broke a string halfway through but didn't flinch. In fact I performed even more intensely after the snap! Not a single person noticed apparently.
Setlist:
Lemonshifter:
1. Duck Boy Is Dead
2. I Want You To Want Me (Cheap Trick cover)
3. Changing Lanes
4. Happy Texas
with Matt Bullock:
1. Jump (as Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash)
2. Girl Of the North County (as Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash)
3. Bad Timin' (Blue Rodeo cover)
with Sophie (last name forgotten):
1. Blackbird
Solo set:
1. Break Inside
2. I Am A Painter
3. What's Wrong With Me
I've been writing so heavily lately. I think that because the completion and release of "Songs of the Teenage Love" is so close at hand my mental block has been lifted and I'm tapping back into the great creative space of letting the chips fall where they may and not "thinking" about the music any more. It feels good to be in touch with the muse again.