Jayne: What're you gonna tell the others? Mal: About what? Jayne: About why I'm dead. Mal: Hadn't thought about it. Jayne: Make something up. Don't tell 'em what I did.

'Ariel'


Buffista Music III: The Search for Bach  

There's a lady plays her fav'rite records/On the jukebox ev'ry day/All day long she plays the same old songs/And she believes the things that they say/She sings along with all the saddest songs/And she believes the stories are real/She lets the music dictate the way that she feels.


joe boucher - Oct 27, 2005 1:01:03 pm PDT #939 of 10003
I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve. - John Prine

( continues...) that I'd change my policy went out the window when Mr. NRA chimed in. But I had been tempted to request "Ghosts in the Wind" since halfway through the show. He had been working his way back through his discography, and when Rumor and Sigh was followed by Amnesia was followed by Daring Adventures I started hoping that was the song he would play. It's less likely to pop up at one of his shows than "When the Spell Is Broken" or "Fire in the Engine Room" but they're better suited to electric. "Ghosts," though, seemed like it would adapt very well to acoustic guitar and bass, and did it ever! George and I agreed that it was Danny Thompson's highlight, especially his arco work. Don't know if I had some good karma going or was just on RT's wavelength yesterday but I'm really happy I stayed to the end. It was one of the highlights of the many times I've seen him over the last twenty years. He probably played it the first time I saw him, too, since it was the Across a Crowded Room tour. And I was wearing the RT-designed sweatshirt I bought at that show a few years later when I got to go backstage and meet Himself (George was in charge of concerts at Haverford), who deadpanned, "Nice shirt."


Jon B. - Oct 27, 2005 4:25:27 pm PDT #940 of 10003
A turkey in every toilet -- only in America!

"This started as a song for children, but it's too good for kids. [pause] It's not good enough for adults. You're my target audience."

He made the same joke in Somerville Monday night. The set list looks pretty similar too. Did he do "Wall of Death"? He did it here and it was very strange hearing it with just his vocal.


joe boucher - Oct 27, 2005 7:14:45 pm PDT #941 of 10003
I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve. - John Prine

He made the same joke in Somerville Monday night.

Probably wasn't an ad lib then either, but it's still a good joke. Saw the punchline coming a mile away but I liked the set up enough that I didn't mind.

The set list looks pretty similar too.

That reminds me of my other (mild) complaint. I saw him on consecutive nights in 1988, plus a friend taped the simulcast early show on the second night. I think there was one song (I think it was "When the Spell Is Broken," but it might have been "Can't Win," which would make sense since it was the Amnesia tour) that was on all three set lists & no more than three or four song overlap between any two sets. Even more than that sort of variety, what I really miss is how he'd pull a cover out of left field at every show the first dozen or so shows I saw him: "Flying Saucers Rock and Roll," "Substitute" (a favorite of his), Ellington instrumentals, songs from Iran and Afghanistan, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (used for a final encore). The man was a human jukebox. His bands tend to be different configurations of people with whom he has played for decades so there aren't many constraints on him, but even those disappear when he's solo. The only thing holding him back is whether he can figure out how to distill a full band arrangement down to his guitar. I don't know if the 1000 years of popular song shows put him off covers for a while but I missed hearing him pull out some surprise.

Yes, he did "Wall of Death". He plays it pretty often (or I've just hit a buncha shows where he played it), both with a band and solo. It worked pretty well as a two piece. Was he with Danny Thompson on Monday?

I love seeing him, but Linda's the one I really want to see again. One of his websites (RT for completists, I think) said she's working on a new album, and that both of them are on son Teddy's upcoming one. Maybe she'll tour with him again.


Jon B. - Oct 28, 2005 1:18:19 am PDT #942 of 10003
A turkey in every toilet -- only in America!

"Substitute" (a favorite of his)

Someone kept yelling for this, which got RT riffing on how, yes, he was a substitute -- for the real RT. He was, in fact, an RT tribute band.

Was he with Danny Thompson on Monday?

Yes. And for the second half, he also had a drummer, whose name escapes me, but who lives in Marblehead, MA (!). [edit: Dave Mattacks]


DavidS - Oct 28, 2005 6:10:37 am PDT #943 of 10003
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

Dave Mattacks

The great Fairport Convention drummer.


joe boucher - Oct 28, 2005 6:24:48 am PDT #944 of 10003
I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve. - John Prine

[edit: Dave Mattacks]

Color me envious! Dave Mattacks is one of RT's decades-long collaborators, dating back to Fairport Convention. Or as Thompson once quipped, "This song is so old that Frank Sinatra had hair. And so did I." He was the drummer on much of Richard's material from the late seventies to mid-eighties, including Shoot Out the Lights. Had Mattacks joined them at Town Hall I might have had to grit my teeth and join the obnoxious insane guy in yelling for "Hand of Kindness" as it is my favorite Mattacks performance.

By coincidence Mattacks also has a credit on Still Crazy After All These Years, though my guess is that he couldn't answer erinaceous's question about country covers. I think Steve Gadd (yay Rochester!) was the main drummer on the album. He plays the famous intro to "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover."

David, Christgau was underwhelmed by the Arthur Kane film. Then again, since he was writing about them before they were signed, and knew about and perhaps even saw them before David Jo was in the band, what's old news & shoddy execution for him could be fun new stuff for me, so I'll probably see it anyway.


tina f. - Oct 28, 2005 6:32:22 am PDT #945 of 10003

You're Invited

Who: tina f. Where: Chicago When: tonight What: my pity-party

::sob::

It looks like I am most likely going to miss tonight's Hold Steady show because of crazy-roommate drama and having to move and having to do it tonight. SUCKS. I sold my tickets to a co-worker and I doubt the show will sell out - but I also doubt it will be possible for me to make it there.

Everyone can feel sorry for me now.

In Best of 2005 news: Lou Barlow's EMOH was an album that has snuck back into my heavy rotation that may just make it on the Top Ten list yet. I got the new Wolf Parade last week and the reviews I've read got it right: at first it does sound a bit like a Modest Mouse ripoff (it was produced by Isaac Brock) but further listens reveal a unique sound, great lyrics and a beginning-to-end good album. Not sure it's Top Ten material though.

Two-second album reviews:

M. Ward Transistor Radio: love it

Robbie Fulks Georgia Hard: annoyed now


Fred Pete - Oct 28, 2005 6:39:36 am PDT #946 of 10003
Ann, that's a ferret.

Many sympathies, Tina. Feel free to vent if you need to.


lisah - Oct 28, 2005 6:46:01 am PDT #947 of 10003
Punishingly Intricate

It looks like I am most likely going to miss tonight's Hold Steady show

Well supposedly they're going to be on an upcoming episode of Lost if that's any consolation...(sorry about the roommate drama! I hope you have smooth housing sailing from here on out.)


tina f. - Oct 28, 2005 6:47:11 am PDT #948 of 10003

Many sympathies, Tina. Feel free to vent if you need to.

Aww - it's fine. What's life without a little crazy-roommate-grows-intense-cat-fear and kicks-you-out drama? Missing a show because I was being swept away to a romantic Italian villa by some rich guy would be better though.

For a second I thought I had gone to the Onion instead - but was it yesterday that I posted the thing about five new Ryan Adams' albums? [link]

I guess that's not a prediction you're likely to ever be wrong about though. They also mention a new Neko Case album coming soon. Woot!

ETA:

sorry about the roommate drama! I hope you have smooth housing sailing from here on out.

Thanks. I heard about the Lost thing, too. Craxy!