peace beneath the city: sp20
Photo by Brian Tamborello
Out of the three acts I was most looking forward to at SP20 (Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine, and Flight of the Conchords), I was least excited for Iron and Wine, but in the end, Sam Beam's performance was the most memorable. I forgot how much in love I was with "The Trapeze Swinger" and was elated when he played the first few chords of the song on his guitar and then slowly and soothingly began to sing "please, remember me..." I think heather b. of Three Imaginary Girls says it best when she says that his songs "make you have memories of stuff that didn't happen to you". Well, okay, she doesn't put it in the most profound of words, but I'm definitely familiar with her sentiment. Sam Beam's lyrics definitely have a way of making me reminisce of forgotten loves and a Southern childhood I never had. To finally see him live, completely alone on the stage, with no band, just him and his guitar, was heartbreakingly beautiful, and had he played "Passing Afternoon" I would of started to cry, only imagining to be the woman in the song, pretending to be happy, disappointed but reconciled with the way life turned out to be, desperately missing a man I once loved.
Anyways, some links to help me remember and relive yesterday: SP20 Flickr Photstream, J. Tillman's drum off, The Vaselines's performance of "You Think You're A Man", "Such Great Heights" Sing-a-long, and Bret McKenzie as a choir of women. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SUBPOP!