between the viaducts of your dreams
• Does anyone know if Hobbit action figures are out there yet? I assume they will be made, but am curious if anyone has spied any. I know I told myself I was done with that, and even sold some of my LOTR figures out of desperation (and, yes, I do miss them). But I think I need a Bilbo - a Martin!Bilbo - assuming they follow the quality of the LOTR output and create a figure that truly looks like Martin as Bilbo. Okay, and I'll probably want a Smaug when he comes out, let's be honest.
• Looking forward to the Emmys tomorrow night. Hoping the Sherlock gang gets some deserved recognition.
• Thursday night, I took myself to see Glen Hansard.
First off, this is the first time I've gone to a Philly show, in Philly, by myself. Previous shows I've gone to by myself were well outside of the city, in safer areas. So there was some nervousness there. The worst, of course, is suffering through the downtime before the start of the show and between acts when you are shy, introverted, and full of the anxiety. But I made it through and it was worth it.
The Lost Boys, a charming Irish duo, opened. Their sound stays in the folk and rockabilly range. With the ginger lead sporting Buddy Holly glasses and the lead guitarist dressing like Marcus Mumford, they felt like they belonged to another era. But in a way that reminded me of Justin Townes Earle and other similar artists who cull from the past without sounding dated.
Glen... I don't even know where to begin. Put all the superlatives in front of me, and I wouldn't be able to choose just one or even a few. He captivates, he croons, he brings laughter and joy, and chills and near-tears. His voice lulls and shreds, digs deep into you and soars back up, taking you with it. He is a roller coaster ride.
It was my first time seeing him live, in any incarnation, and it was a transcendent first time.
I arrived at the venue early enough to grab a good spot near the front, maybe 4 or 5 people back from the stage. Miraculously, there were no tall people in front of me. In fact, there was a sea of shortness before me. \m/ There was a Padalecki-sized man toward the middle of the crowd, of whom I stayed very aware and very clear. Heh. At one point, some short-ass girls (shorter than me) asked to switch places with him. So I knew I was safe. Except, these short-ass girls had no consideration for the space they took up. Despite plenty of room in front of them, one kept bumping into me with her arm, her back, or her damn handbag. Seriously, ladies, can you not bring smaller bags to shows? Or place them on the ground, between your feet? Or leave them in the fucking car? I had nowhere to go to create more space between us, so I just put up with her. However, my faith in humanity was reaffirmed when this teeny, tiny girl to my left slipped into the space in front of me and actually turned around and asked me if I could see. Bless, I could see perfectly over her wee head.
Anyway, I digressed a bit there. But, the point is, I had a marvelous view of Glen. And the guitar. You know the guitar. People cheered for it. :)
I could also see Colm (violinist) rather well, although I was so sucked in to Glen's performance that it was difficult to drag my eyes away from him. The entire band - many of them borrowed from Levon Helm's band, if not Frames members (like Colm and drummer Graham) - were stellar.
I'm uncertain of the setlist, and my google-fu has failed me so far. But I believe it was very close to the D.C. setlist I found:
The Storm, It's Coming
Talking With The Wolves
Love Don't Leave Me Waiting
Philander
When Your Mind's Made Up
Seven Day Mile
Low Rising
Bird Of Sorrow
Leave
In These Arms/Back Broke
Astral Weeks
Moving On
High Hope
This Gift
Fitzcarraldo
encore:
Say It To Me Now
Gold
Tennessee Blues led by the Lost Brothers (with Glen on bass)
Drive All Night/Song Of Good Hope
Don't Do It/Passing Through
He also did the Frames' "What Happens When the Heart Just Stops" (heart-wrenching), so it wasn't a carbon copy of the previous night's set.
Somewhere in the encore, I believe before or after "Song Of Good Hope," he inserted a bit of the Irish traditional "The Parting Glass," stopping at one point to request 15 shots of Jameson from the bar for everyone on stage. Eventually, that request was filled, and Glen passed around the shots to all the band members as well as some people off stage (roadies, I'd guess) because they'd been brought extras. We all finished the song with our hands raised as if holding shot glasses, singing along, in remembrance of those we've lost. It was amazing.
According to an article (linked below) he covered Bruce Springsteen's "Sad Eyes," but I don't know much Springsteen so I don't know if that was in place of or in addition to "Drive All Night." (Could've sworn there was a bit of "Drive All Night" however.)
Oh, and he also sang "Happy Birthday" to someone in a Leonard Cohen-esque voice that had me giggling.
Now, let me talk about how fucking blissed out I was when I realized he was covering "Astral Weeks." Because I shivered through the song, it was that THAT thrilling to me. I'd never heard him cover it before on any recording, nor was I aware that he did cover it. Of course, he's done several other Van Morrison songs, so it wasn't surprising. But "Astral Weeks" is one of my top favorite Van songs, up there with "And It Stoned Me," "Madame George," and maybe one or two others. I LOVED every minute of it, including when he added a bit of Pearl Jam's "Smile" to the end, while layering noisy guitar parts into the explosive ending. It was probably the biggest highlight of the night for me.
(ETA: Okay, I just pulled out a live Swell Season recording I have, and "Astral Weeks" is on it. So, apparently I did know he covered it. I just didn't know that I knew. You know?)
The other major highlight was the beginning of the encore. Glen came out to do "Say It To Me Now" by himself, without any mics or other amplification. I know he's done this before, but that doesn't make it any less powerful. This is the song that made me fall in love with his music. Everything I'd heard and enjoyed before paled to that early moment in Once where he sings it: raw, ripping your heart out, ripping out his own and showing it to you, bare and vulnerable.
Then, after, Colm came out, and they covered "Gold" - Interference's contribution to the Once soundtrack. So, so incredibly beautiful. Also, Glen told of how Fergus O'Farrell (Interference) confessed to writing this song about a Native American's love for his/her land... not about a girl, as Glen had originally thought. <3
In all, he played for approximately 2 1/2 hours. Although my feet were varying between numb and worryingly in pain by the end of the night, the time flew by. Glen and his band were simply that engrossing.
Video of the Lost Boys playing "Now That The Night Has Come."
Video of Glen breaking out some "Respect." (Prompted, iirc, by a guy in the audience with whom Glen had been bantering throughout the night. The guy said he wanted to dance with Glen, and Glen kind of coyly flirted with him in response. Too adorable.)
Video of "Falling Slowly." Performed with a girl from the audience who'd apparently won some cover song contest. She was cute and quite good too.
Video of "Astral Weeks."
Video of "Say It To Me Now."
Video of "Gold." (Aww, the hug at the end!)
Review of the show from The Inquirer.
• On Tuesday, I'm going to see David Gray. Then there's Ray LaMontagne and Of Monsters And Men in the mid-to-latter part of November. I might go see Lord Huron in October, but that's a Monday night show, and I'm starting to think I should reserve work nights for artists I really, really want to see. Plus, there's all the standing.
• Holding off on watching the last part of Parade's End because, well, I don't want it to be over. However, folks on Tumblr have kindly spoiled me for some of the ending already. If I'd read the Ford Madox Ford novel, that wouldn't be such a big deal. But I never read it, and would have preferred to not learn certain things that I have already learned.
• On that note, I'm avoiding Tumblr until I watch tonight's episode of Doctor Who. Wish people there were more conscientious.
• Oh, and happy autumnal equinox. Summer, you may stay around a little longer anyway. I won't mind.
• Looking forward to the Emmys tomorrow night. Hoping the Sherlock gang gets some deserved recognition.
• Thursday night, I took myself to see Glen Hansard.
First off, this is the first time I've gone to a Philly show, in Philly, by myself. Previous shows I've gone to by myself were well outside of the city, in safer areas. So there was some nervousness there. The worst, of course, is suffering through the downtime before the start of the show and between acts when you are shy, introverted, and full of the anxiety. But I made it through and it was worth it.
The Lost Boys, a charming Irish duo, opened. Their sound stays in the folk and rockabilly range. With the ginger lead sporting Buddy Holly glasses and the lead guitarist dressing like Marcus Mumford, they felt like they belonged to another era. But in a way that reminded me of Justin Townes Earle and other similar artists who cull from the past without sounding dated.
Glen... I don't even know where to begin. Put all the superlatives in front of me, and I wouldn't be able to choose just one or even a few. He captivates, he croons, he brings laughter and joy, and chills and near-tears. His voice lulls and shreds, digs deep into you and soars back up, taking you with it. He is a roller coaster ride.
It was my first time seeing him live, in any incarnation, and it was a transcendent first time.
I arrived at the venue early enough to grab a good spot near the front, maybe 4 or 5 people back from the stage. Miraculously, there were no tall people in front of me. In fact, there was a sea of shortness before me. \m/ There was a Padalecki-sized man toward the middle of the crowd, of whom I stayed very aware and very clear. Heh. At one point, some short-ass girls (shorter than me) asked to switch places with him. So I knew I was safe. Except, these short-ass girls had no consideration for the space they took up. Despite plenty of room in front of them, one kept bumping into me with her arm, her back, or her damn handbag. Seriously, ladies, can you not bring smaller bags to shows? Or place them on the ground, between your feet? Or leave them in the fucking car? I had nowhere to go to create more space between us, so I just put up with her. However, my faith in humanity was reaffirmed when this teeny, tiny girl to my left slipped into the space in front of me and actually turned around and asked me if I could see. Bless, I could see perfectly over her wee head.
Anyway, I digressed a bit there. But, the point is, I had a marvelous view of Glen. And the guitar. You know the guitar. People cheered for it. :)
I could also see Colm (violinist) rather well, although I was so sucked in to Glen's performance that it was difficult to drag my eyes away from him. The entire band - many of them borrowed from Levon Helm's band, if not Frames members (like Colm and drummer Graham) - were stellar.
I'm uncertain of the setlist, and my google-fu has failed me so far. But I believe it was very close to the D.C. setlist I found:
The Storm, It's Coming
Talking With The Wolves
Love Don't Leave Me Waiting
Philander
When Your Mind's Made Up
Seven Day Mile
Low Rising
Bird Of Sorrow
Leave
In These Arms/Back Broke
Astral Weeks
Moving On
High Hope
This Gift
Fitzcarraldo
encore:
Say It To Me Now
Gold
Tennessee Blues led by the Lost Brothers (with Glen on bass)
Drive All Night/Song Of Good Hope
Don't Do It/Passing Through
He also did the Frames' "What Happens When the Heart Just Stops" (heart-wrenching), so it wasn't a carbon copy of the previous night's set.
Somewhere in the encore, I believe before or after "Song Of Good Hope," he inserted a bit of the Irish traditional "The Parting Glass," stopping at one point to request 15 shots of Jameson from the bar for everyone on stage. Eventually, that request was filled, and Glen passed around the shots to all the band members as well as some people off stage (roadies, I'd guess) because they'd been brought extras. We all finished the song with our hands raised as if holding shot glasses, singing along, in remembrance of those we've lost. It was amazing.
According to an article (linked below) he covered Bruce Springsteen's "Sad Eyes," but I don't know much Springsteen so I don't know if that was in place of or in addition to "Drive All Night." (Could've sworn there was a bit of "Drive All Night" however.)
Oh, and he also sang "Happy Birthday" to someone in a Leonard Cohen-esque voice that had me giggling.
Now, let me talk about how fucking blissed out I was when I realized he was covering "Astral Weeks." Because I shivered through the song, it was that THAT thrilling to me. I'd never heard him cover it before on any recording, nor was I aware that he did cover it. Of course, he's done several other Van Morrison songs, so it wasn't surprising. But "Astral Weeks" is one of my top favorite Van songs, up there with "And It Stoned Me," "Madame George," and maybe one or two others. I LOVED every minute of it, including when he added a bit of Pearl Jam's "Smile" to the end, while layering noisy guitar parts into the explosive ending. It was probably the biggest highlight of the night for me.
(ETA: Okay, I just pulled out a live Swell Season recording I have, and "Astral Weeks" is on it. So, apparently I did know he covered it. I just didn't know that I knew. You know?)
The other major highlight was the beginning of the encore. Glen came out to do "Say It To Me Now" by himself, without any mics or other amplification. I know he's done this before, but that doesn't make it any less powerful. This is the song that made me fall in love with his music. Everything I'd heard and enjoyed before paled to that early moment in Once where he sings it: raw, ripping your heart out, ripping out his own and showing it to you, bare and vulnerable.
Then, after, Colm came out, and they covered "Gold" - Interference's contribution to the Once soundtrack. So, so incredibly beautiful. Also, Glen told of how Fergus O'Farrell (Interference) confessed to writing this song about a Native American's love for his/her land... not about a girl, as Glen had originally thought. <3
In all, he played for approximately 2 1/2 hours. Although my feet were varying between numb and worryingly in pain by the end of the night, the time flew by. Glen and his band were simply that engrossing.
Video of the Lost Boys playing "Now That The Night Has Come."
Video of Glen breaking out some "Respect." (Prompted, iirc, by a guy in the audience with whom Glen had been bantering throughout the night. The guy said he wanted to dance with Glen, and Glen kind of coyly flirted with him in response. Too adorable.)
Video of "Falling Slowly." Performed with a girl from the audience who'd apparently won some cover song contest. She was cute and quite good too.
Video of "Astral Weeks."
Video of "Say It To Me Now."
Video of "Gold." (Aww, the hug at the end!)
Review of the show from The Inquirer.
• On Tuesday, I'm going to see David Gray. Then there's Ray LaMontagne and Of Monsters And Men in the mid-to-latter part of November. I might go see Lord Huron in October, but that's a Monday night show, and I'm starting to think I should reserve work nights for artists I really, really want to see. Plus, there's all the standing.
• Holding off on watching the last part of Parade's End because, well, I don't want it to be over. However, folks on Tumblr have kindly spoiled me for some of the ending already. If I'd read the Ford Madox Ford novel, that wouldn't be such a big deal. But I never read it, and would have preferred to not learn certain things that I have already learned.
• On that note, I'm avoiding Tumblr until I watch tonight's episode of Doctor Who. Wish people there were more conscientious.
• Oh, and happy autumnal equinox. Summer, you may stay around a little longer anyway. I won't mind.