what we need is music

hello all,

starting today, all music related posts will be hosted on my new site(s), these sites will be virtually identical in content:
http://whatweneedismusic.wordpress.com
and
http://whatweneedismusic.blogspot.com/

and this site will be more of a personal type blog site.

below is a "mission statement" of sorts for "what we need is music," thanks in advance for your support...

ok, i've had this idea for a while, maybe instead of just an "idea," maybe it's a vision, maybe it's a dream, maybe it's nothing. but it's been stuck in my head and won't go away for long long enough that i thought, "what the hell, give it a shot."

to explain, i started "blogging" a while ago and my ramblings are 90%+ about music, i also frequent the message boards of several bands; over the rhine, cowboy junkies, patty griffin, ryan adams, tom waits, to name a few. Some I’m active on, some I just lurk. personally, i enjoy writing about a concert i just saw, a new cd i just bought, etc and i also enjoy reading and am intrigued about and by others experiences. so i started thinking, with the opportunities on all of these message boards, with fans and lovers of music from all over this country and all over the world, would it be possible to channel those experiences, that love of words and music down to one or two spaces for people to share? imagine if fan of "over the rhine" in colorado could share an experience with "patty griffin" in germany and turn them on to something they were unaware of, or a cowboy junklies fan from hawaii could relate a story to a ryan adams fan in England that hooked them? or someone in louisville recently discovering the music of a new artist
like ben sollee could tell the world about him and share a link with them to hear his music for the first time and let them decide for themselves. could be cool? no?

so here's the idea, dream or whatever...

i have started blogs on blogspot and wordpress, both titled "what we need is music." the idea is to send me your reviews, both concerts and cd's, photos if you have them (linked only please, they would need to "hosted" somewhere). maybe your new musical "finds" and how others can hear them (links to websites, myspace pages, etc) and what you like about them. talk about, help promote or increase awareness of upcoming concerts that you are going to see and/or artists you appreciate. the goal is to talk about music you enjoy, not trash music that you don’t. but by all means, if you see a show that disappoints, invest in a cd that doesn’t deliver, be honest and talk about it objectively and fairly. i see this being all encompassing, it can be whatever we make it, whatever we decide for it to be, whatever we make it...

the best of 2008 (so far)...

as i noted a few posts back, the year is now, incredibly, half over. so i thought i'd list some of my favorites through the first six months of 2008.

so here they are...

CD's (top ten, roughly in order*)
teddy thompson – "a piece of what you need"
cat power – "jukebox"
shelby lynne – "just a little lovin’ "
kathleen edwards – "asking for flowers"
cowboy junkies – "trinity revisited"
alejandro escovedo – "real animal"
tift merritt – "another country"
ben sollee – "learning to bend"
r.e.m. – "accelerate"
kris delmhorst – "shotgun singer"
honorable mention
steve winwood – "nine lives"

*(order subject to change depending on what i just finished listening to)

CONCERTS
02.10 - cat power @ the vic (chicago)
05.25 - over the rhine / ohio: in concert (cincinnati)
06.11 - alejandro escovedo (w/ben sollee) @ headliner’s (louisville)
04.26 - over the rhine (w/julie lee) @ canal street tavern (dayton)
04.17 - kathleen edwards @ headliner's (louisville)
03.11 - grace potter and the nocturnals @ headliner's (louisville)
*03.14 - over the rhine @ the ryman, opening for ani difranco would have to be my top concert experience and had it been a full set, would have unquestionably topped this list.

if you are unfamiliar with any of these artists, i highly recommend checking out their music and seeing them live if they are anywhere in your general area.

should you be so inclined and/or curious, there are links to their (and many other great artists) websites and/or myspace pages on the right hand side of my blog.

do yourself a favor and give them a listen.

and enjoy.

restoring a little faith in mankind, one sunflower at a time...

while i was in atlanta this past 4th of july weekend, i spent time with my parents just north of town. only a few years ago, this was "the country," but now is sadly becoming another victim of suburban sprawl in a city thst continues to grow like it's native vine, the kudzu. just another "chain store mecca" with subdivision after subdivision of virtually identical houses on quarter acre lots taking over once beautiful farmland and woodlands.

in one of the few slices left unplowed, their neighbors have acres and acres of sunflower fields. they sell them on the side of the road for $6 per dozen, honor system, self-serve/cut 'em yourself... they have a little stand on the side of the road with several pairs of snips and a cigar box sitting on a counter (and a few dozen pre-cut flowers for those too lazy or in too big of a hurry to wander through the fields to do it themselves). you simply grab a pair of snips, walk the fields as long as you like, choose and cut the flowers you like, then put the money in the cigar box and go on your merry way. after cutting a dozen or so, we opened the box to pay and saw what must have been several hundred dollars in the box, sitting there unattended. it was pretty cool to see that that trust and that trust be respected.

restoring a little faith in mankind, one sunflower at a time...

i wandered thru the fields for a couple of hours w/my camera, it was beautiful.











[sun]flower

tom waits - "glitter and doom" @ the fox theatre/atlanta (07.05.2008)

still on a great 'post-show' buzz. a couple of posts back i mentioned fearing that i sounded like a “gushing fool." well, here we go again...

the show was last night was absolutely incredible, a great show/set, the acoustics in the fox are amazing and the mix was perfect, kudos to the guy running the sbd.
---
so, about 9:00 PM, the theater goes dark and slowly, dim lights begin to highlight the backdrop on the stage. you can sense, but not really “see” any movement. then, a white hot spot hits center stage, and seemingly out of nowhere… standing on a beat-up riser, in a dark “slightly worn” suit and a dark bowler hat, with a huge smile on his face is the reason that we are there, tom waits. hands straight up in the air, he starts stomping on the riser, the crowd is standing, clapping, whistling and screaming. white plumes of “smoke” start floating up into the lights from the riser. he stomps harder, smoke keeps rising and his smile gets bigger. he stomps and smiles, we clap and whistle, seems to be a fair trade.

and we're off...

there were so many highlights it’s hard to know where to start. vocally, he was "on the mark," with it being the last night of the tour, i guess he didn't feel like he had to "save" his voice ( ;-) ) and before i start rambling too much, it seems appropriate to note that his band was fantastic, all great players (named below), tight and meshing perfectly with each other and with him. he has added a full time horn player and keyboardist and larry taylor had moved from his usual position on bass to "guesting" on lead guitar on a few songs (apparently only @ the atlanta show). other than taylor and his son casey on drums/percussion it was a completely different group of players than when i saw him a couple of years ago. i guess "the" highlight(s) for me would have to be "9th and hennepin" followed by a rocking “lie to me.” during the intro for “9th and hennepin," a single bare unlit light bulb dropped out of (seemingly) nowhere right next to tom’s face. unfazed, he continued talking. as soon as he kicked into the song, the light, much to tom’s "surprise, and shock," flickered on and became a prop which he mastered for the duration of the song, then “poof”…it disappeared much as it appeared.

"chocolate jesus," "hold on" & "get behind the mule" were also pretty amazing and would have to be close seconds for me and the "innocent when you dream/hoist that rag/make it rain" trifecta was also pretty damn sweet. at the end of and extended take on “make it rain,” and with tom chanting (ie: screaming) a command to “make it rain,” glitter began to fall over him like rain (apparently from that same magical place that gave us the light bulb) covering his dark suit and bowler. very cool visually. towards the end of the set, regardless of your beliefs, if you weren’t ready to shout a big, loud "AMEN" or "MERCY" after he took the sold-out crowd of 4,000+ to church with "jesus gonna be here," well then, you just weren’t alive and breathing to begin with.

along the way, he charmed us with a couple of subtle, yet hilarious stories about; $300,000 watches (or $9.95 CVS watches), condiments (or condom-mints) and alphabet soup (or nazi pas-ticas) as only he could, before closing the set with a rowdy and fun “singapore.” after a short break, he and the band returned and kicked off the encore w/a killer, extended ”eyeball kid” where during the chorus, he playfully swapped out his black bowler with one covered with tiny mirrors reflecting the spotlight all over the theatre. at the end of the song there was great little exchange between him, casey and the audience. then he sent us all home happy with the appropriate “anywhere I lay my head.”

he started the show with the big smiles and we left the theatre with them. again, seems to be a fair trade.

what a night. he's as brilliant a showman and performer as he is a writer and musician, which says a lot. there was not a single lowlight/mediocre moment in the evening. hell, it was tom waits!

i found the quote below in "the columbus (oh) dispatch" it seems to describe him perfectly, much better than i ever could...

Waits may be one of the country's best accidental musicologists. He rummages through an assortment of genres — blues, gospel, jazz, folk, Latin, beat-box and cabaret, to name some — and weaves them together into something new. Hearing one of his songs for the first time, one is almost positive that it's an old favorite. Yet everything he does is remarkably original and fresh.

Add to that his unmistakeable lyrics — inspired in part by the Beat Generation and refined by his partnership with his wife, writer Kathleen Brennan — and it's easy to see why he is one of the most important singer-songwriters of this age.

The showmanship is always a direct relation to the music. He opened in the guise of a revivalist preacher, booming out Lucinda, Way Down in the Hole and Falling Down.

His antics reached a peak later in The Eyeball Kid, an oddity of a song in which, for one verse, he donned a mirror-ball hat. As he revolved slowly in the interludes, his head became a makeshift light show.

When the songs slowed down and the thoughts grew deeper, though, he stilled his physical energy and flowed into such profound moments which held the audience absolutely still until their final chords.

In a sense, Waits is a medium, channeling the spirits of long-dead bluesmen, pioneers of rock and traveling minstrels. His voice, while aging, still can travel from a growl to a wail to a whisper in a split second.

Waits doesn't create new worlds; he makes people rethink the past, present, and future. His song Time, sums it up: “… their memory's like a train/You can see it getting smaller as it pulls away/And the things you can't remember tell the things you can't forget/That history puts a saint in every dream.”

on a personal note, it was also kind of a sentimental journey for me. many years ago, the fox (and atlanta in general) was where “i cut my live music teeth.” in my younger days, there was a time that i rarely missed any show of note there. my friends (and sally, my “ex”) and i were regulars. we saw it all. it was nice to be back there again, it has probably been 20+ years since i have seen a show in that beautiful place and it was just as sweet as i remembered it. lotsa good nights, good vibes and good memories for me in that building, it felt "good." so to top off the night, just for the hell of it it, i decided to detour down piedmont, past the old “broadview plaza” and blew a kiss and say a “thank you” to the corner where the old “great southeast music hall” once stood. i also spent a lot of great nights with friends there and that was where, 30+ years ago, i was fortunate enough to see mr. waits perform for the first time and was introduced to the genius that is tom waits and i’ve been hooked since (btw, he was the opener for the comedian, martin mull who wrote a song about the old music hall called "i've played some shitholes, but this takes the cake" =) ).

the set:
lucinda > ain't going down to the well
down in the hole
falling down
chocolate jesus
all the world is green
cemetery polka
who's been talkin'* > 'til the money runs out
such a scream
november
hold on
black market baby
9th and hennepin
lie to me
lucky day
on the nickel
lost in the harbour
innocent when you dream
hoist that rag
make it rain
dirt in the ground
get behind the mule
hang down your head
jesus gonna be here
singapore
encore:
eyeball kid
anywhere i lay my head

*howlin' wolf cover

the band:
patrick warren - keyboards
omar torrez - guitars
vincent henry - horns & acoustic guitar
casey waits - drums and percussion
seth ford-young - bass
sullivan waits - congas and clarinet (and selling t-shirts and books before & after the show...)

*larry taylor joined in on guitar on several songs.

i had to "stealth" the pictures, so there is nothing particularly "artistic." more just to document the evening...

2008 concert update, half a year in review...

wow, it's hard to believe that the year is half over! so far i feel like i'm a little behind schedule with only 15 shows under my belt this year.

what i may lack in quantity, i guess i have made up for in quality...the first show of the year kicked it off properly, cat power @ the vic in chicago on february 2nd. it was -2f
(-42f w/windchill) and that is cold, very cold, numbingly cold. it's hard to describe the enigma that is this woman. she is natural beauty with a voice like no other. indescribable. (imnsho) she, OtR and ryan adams are "the best" out there making music right now, i'm glad i finally got the chance to see her peform live. she and her band were simply amazing. the second the show was over, i wanted more, and i still do. i can't wait for the next time.

alejandro escovedo (with carrie rodriguez) and kathleen edwards both rocked @ headliner's (kathleen rocked louisville so hard she may have triggered the earthquake that still had us shakin' the next morning after her show). and there was a couple of brilliant opening sets by the local phenom, ben sollee (f/OtR & alejandro) and mary gauthier (OtR & cowboy junkies). plus, a great set and a nice opportunity to chat with justin and tasha golden of ellery at the rudyard kipling.

i feel fortunate to have been introduced this year to the rockin', kick-ass blues of grace potter and the nocturnals (also @ headliner's) and the good vibes and beautiful voice of julie lee (accompanied by jake bradley) opening for OtR @ CST. i saw great sets delivered by both and i hope to see them again soon.

i've also been lucky enough to see my favorites; i've had eight over the rhine shows (so far). i was blessed with opportunity to walk the stage and backstage area of the ryman with K&L. "i" stood where johnny, hank, willie, patsy and virtually every legend of american music has stood and peformed, on the hallowed hardwood stage of the ryman auditorium, then watch them, along with jake perform a great set of music on that same hallowed ground (and walk off to a standing ovation). it was an honor to be there that night. a stage and venue that has been graced and revered by the greatest of music legends, artists that helped create and form the art of "american" music as we know it. oh what a night, not only was this the highlight of my year, it is one of the highlights of my life. thank you karin and linford.

i also got to see them with the closest of friends in the intimacy of the canal street tavern, a month later in the vastness of the brand spankin' new national city pavilion, sitting on the banks of the ohio, as they performed "ohio." followed a week later by a night in my hometown of atlanta. and a couple of weeks after that on an indescribable, beautiful night in the incredible, idyllic new harmony, indiana. as for the "other" favorites, i got to see cowboy junkies, who delivered a great set @ the clifton center only about 10 minutes from my home in louisville.

this weekend, over the 4th of july holiday, i get to start off the second half of the year on the right foot too, with tom waits at the fox theatre in atlanta. one of the best ever, in one of the best venues in the country.

and i get to see my mom and dad too.

a good start to the "back nine" of '08, i'd say...

02.10 - cat power @ the vic
02.23 - OtR (w/ben sollee) @ the bomhard
03.07 – tift merritt @ ear x-tacy
03.11 - grace potter and the nocturnals @ headliner's
03.14 - OtR @ the ryman* (w/ani)
03.27 - cowboy junkies (w/mary gauthier) @ the clifton center
04.17 - kathleen edwards @ headliner's
04.25 - OtR (w/julie lee) @ CST
04.26 - OtR (w/julie lee) @ CST
05.25 - OtR @ the national city pavilion
05.31 - OtR (w/mary gauther) @ the variety playhouse
06.09 - OtR @ woodsongs
06.11 - alejandro escovedo (w/ben sollee) @ headliner’s
06.13 - ellery (w/garrison starr) @ the rudyard kipling
06.14 - OtR @ new harmony, in
-----
07.05 - tom waits @ the fox
07.23 – OtR @ the fraze pavilion

HOLY "PEHDTSCHJMBA"

the video below explains the blog title..."PEHDTSCHJMBA"


the final night of the tour...next saturday night, july 5th, tom waits @ the fabulous fox theatre in atlanta. and i will be sitting 19th row center...on the aisle.

and i get to see my mom and dad too. =)


"rain dogs"


"make it rain"

over the rhine - "ohio: in concert" @ the national city pavilion/cincinnati (05.24.2008)

ok, i'm a little late getting to this one...

i realized that never posted anything about OtR's - “ohio: in concert” show, i started (and stopped) writing it several times, it was too good of an evening not to publically comment on. at first, just afterwards, it was a bit too overwhelming to try to put into words, then I traveled to atlanta the following weekend to spend some time with my family and to catch their show at the variety playhouse. then it just kind of got away from me.

so, here goes...on the day of the show, the inaugural show at the national city pavilion, i arrived around 2:00 for soundcheck, a lot was going on; juicy, mike and nick were doing the final audio and stage set up, mickey was finishing setting up his drum kit. i wandered around and got to spend a little time w/karin and linford and chat some with jake and (OtR's manager) glen. everyone was in a great mood looking forward to what was ahead, all was right with the world. there was still an amazing amount of finishing work going on around the venue. i saw full-grown trees planted in a matter of minutes, two huge video screens placed and hung and seats numbers placed on several hundred seats. not to mention a kid getting stuck on a roller coaster @ coney island and taken off the ride by a ladder truck from the anderson township fire department. interesting afternoon. and oh yeah…there was sound check too.

i walked around and shot during the very loose sound check. karin and linford had brought on a couple of extra players to fill in the sound for the show and to more replicate the sound of the album. kenny hutson (a former bandmate of jake’s from the vigilantes of love) joined in on guitar and pedal steel and nick radina (of the cincinnati band, tropicoso), a familiar face from doing tour management and monitors on several previous OtR tours, on percussion, and they were a perfect fit, a great compliment to the sound. i always enjoy hearing the music flush out and come together during the final minutes before a show and i appreciate the opportunity to be there.

the show kicked off just a few minutes after after the scheduled 8:00 pm time with karin walking out on the stage solo, quietly sitting down at the piano and launching into the opening notes of "B.P.D." seconds later, the rest of the band casually strolled and picked up their instruments and joined in. and we were off.

the show was split into two sets, "disc one” and “disc two” (if you aren’t aware by now, they were playing their acclaimed album “ohio” in full, in sequence) and "B.P.D." was the perfect rousing, wailing starting point to the evening. the other “disc one” highlights for me: “what i remember most,” the always beautiful “anything at all” (dedicated to cincinnati's legendary bluegrass diva and good friend of karin, miss katie laur), followed by the rarely played “professional daydreamer,” the fun and sexy (a "make out song," as karin intro'ed it)“lifelong fling” and the apocalyptic hymm and always moving & powerful “changes come,” which karin dedicated to “all of those we remember on memorial day.”

time to take a break and flip sides…

after an OtR first, a clothing change mid-show by karin…and as the crowd strolled back in to the opening notes of “long lost brother,” we were off and running with side two. next was the touching and beautiful yet pained “she,” the rollicking “white girl rap” of “nobody number one,” followed by “cruel & pretty,” which i love and is always a treat to hear. things then slowed down with a heartfelt explaination by karin of writing the next song 5 years ago as war broke out in iraq and how hard it was to believe that 5 years later, while playing “remind us” again that we are still fighting this war. “a wing and a prayer” indeed. during the closing moments of the song, there was an erie sound of fireworks going off in the distance, almost sounding like gunfire.

now we’re gettin’ political and topical and next was one of my favorites, a wailing version of “how long have you been stoned” was dedicated to “the current administration” to a smattering of boos (the show was in the very "red" state of “ohio” afterall). the song closed with an extended, almost tribal drumbeat provided by mickey and nick. a very nice touch. next was the rarely (if ever) played “when you say love,” the torch song/ballad “fool,” the norwood inspired “hometown boy,” vocally always one of karin’s best and then they closed it out the "official" set with the lovely “bothered” and the out-and-out gospel and hopeful words of “idea #21/it’s not too late” with just karin, linford and jake on stage. a very different from the full choir version on the record, but equally as beautiful and moving. and everyone in the place was smiling and standing as they left the stage.

after a short break the encore and surprises kicked in to high gear, with everyone back on stage, a heavy drumbeat and bass line kicked in, then the ironic and tongue-in-cheek words “i went back to ohio” rolled out of karin’s mouth with a half sneer/half smile, the perfect surprise, the perfect song to follow their 2 disc classic tribute to their home state. and they had a blast with it. simply “my city was gone” by cleveland’s “the pretenders” rocked! after the applause died down, there was a request (command?) of “hit it kenny” from karin and we got the tease of the heavy guitar opening riff from “CSN&Y’s” “ohio” (tin soldier’s and nixon’s comin’, we're finally on our own, this summer i hear the drummin', four dead in ohio) before the song transformed into an out and out rockin’ version of gillian welch’s “miss ohio.” "oh-me-oh-my-o, miss ohio" was sure having some fun up there tonight.

and to close out the evening, in this political season, they said goodnight to all with their timely “bi-partisan initiative”…”if a song could be president,” with the “underachiever in chief” line even getting applause…in freakin’ ohio!

it was a fantastic night, hearing many of the songs that had been out of the rotation for a while was like welcoming old friends again and hearing professional daydreamer, when you say love and idea #21 for the first time in concert was wonderful.

the evening ended with smiles, good conversation and hugs at a short after party, then a short stop off for a drink with friend’s @ lebo’s down the street. my only regret of the evening, unfortunately, missing what would have been the undisputed cap on the night…bruce’s soaring karaoke rendition of “sweet caroline.”

soundcheck


the line-up:
karin bergquist - vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
linford detweiler - keyboards, acoustic guitar, bass
jake bradley - bass, electric guitar
mickey grimm - drum kit
guests:
kenny hutson - electric guitar, lap steel guitar
nicolas radina - percussion

who'm i kiddin' but me...

words from "who'm i kiddin' but me" by karin bergquist
from "the trumpet child" by over the rhine
photograph (c)2008-bill ivester, taken in new harmony, indiana

enough said...

over the rhine - "under the beams" @ the rapp granary/new harmony, indiana (06.14.2008)

ok, where to start? it's going to be hard to talk about this without sounding like a gushing fool, seriously.

i headed out to new harmony for over the rhine's show there a little early, wanting to get a feel for the town after discussing it with mickey (grimm, OtR's amazing drummer & resident of new harmony) several times and then recently reading more about it and it's history. while driving over i got a text from karin (bergquist, OtR's amazing vocalist) telling me that everything was fine, but to suggesting to "bring yer waders" and informing me that the national guard was there, since new harmony sits on the banks of the recently severely swollen wabash river... that didn't sound very good. i really didn't know what to expect but i continued to drive and soon began passing army transport trucks (probably 30+ or more) loaded down with sandbags, backhoes and other heavy machinery. ok, now i was a "little concerned." a few more miles down the road i began to see, on both sides of the interstate, what appeared to be lakes, but then i noticed the rooftops of barns and homes and realized that they were really corn and soybean fields, not lakes. ok, now i was a little more concerned, maybe a little bit worried.

i soon reached my exit and a few minutes later, new harmony. only to find one of the most beautiful little towns that i have ever seen in my life. almost surreal in its beauty and charm, it's like a town time forgot. in a good way. then as i turned off of church street towards the granary, i spotted the many national guardsmen, in full camouflage unloading these flatbeads full of sandbags and building virtual walls to protect the historic homes, the "roofless church," the incredible, modern, richard maier designed visitor center from the ravages of nature... high, fast running water. i was within 10 feet of the flow of a river that should have been about a quarter of a mile away. once again, surreal. very surreal.

and yet, none of this dampened the spirit and the people of this amazing place. they went on with life seemingly as they always do. the street antique show was still happening, the local (and very good) country music band was still playing on the street corner, neighbors were still walking and riding their bikes around town, smiling and stopping on the street to say hello, shake hands and welcome all to their home, then offering sightseeing tips to an obvious stranger (me). a woman stopped me as i was coming out of the roofless church, asked where i was visiting from, welcomed me, then put down the kickstand on her bike and said "oh, you've just got to see the garden across the street." she took me by the arm, leaving her bike unattended on the sidewalk and walked me to the garden while explaining much about the town to me. again, very surreal and then you begin to realize, it's so sad that this is such a shocking aberration...this is how we used to be, this how we should be.

a little later, while walking the town before the show and turning the corner towards the granary not long before the doors opened, i crossed paths w/molly and grafton (mickey's wife and son) riding their bikes to the show, waving, laughing and talking all the way (you're probably expecting me to say someting about surreal about now...).

so how do you top off a day like this? you take a town full of these kind people, add a few interested visitors, put them in one place... a beautiful, historical room, "the rapp granary," as linford might say; "a well made thing," to share an evening of beautiful words, music, discussion and friendship led by a group of wonderful, talented and "good" people; karin bergguist, linford detweiler, jake bradley & mickey grimm... "over the rhine." i was lucky enough to spend much of the 30-minute preshow w/mickey's mom, sandy and his sister, kim. what a blast, it's easy to see how mickey "is what he is" after spending some time with sandy, what a kind, sweet and lovely woman.

and it's always a pleasant surprise to walk into a room where OtR is playing and see a grand piano on stage, this time a steinway baby grand was sitting on the front left corner of the stage and linford (OtR's amazing piano player) took full advantage of the beauty it had to offer us. karin was spot on vocally as all have come to expect from her, full of passion, energy, spirituality and beauty. my expectations are always high for her performances and she has never failed to meet (and generally exceed) them. last night was no exception, simply, she rocked the joint. her voice is an amazing "instrument" in it's own right, a true gift of nature. and she has mastered it. jake (yep, OtR's amazing bassist/guitarist) and mickey were as solid as ever and he really seemed to enjoy playing front of his neighbors. it was also great to see molly joining in on several songs, her harmonies w/karin are wonderful.

in short, the show was amazing, a big event for this small town, mostly all locals who seemed to be pleasantly confused by us travelers. the band played two sets, with about a 30 minute break in between to socialize over homemade cookies, brownies and punch, it wasn't "timed" and no one was too rushed. and the treats were delicious.

during the first set linford told a charming story about playing hymns on the family piano for his mother when he was a child and trying to stump her with them (he also noted that he was never able to). he continued the story talking about visiting her recently and taking her to a covered dish church dinner, complete with tater-tot casseroles and fruit and "jello mold" desserts. apparently the entertainment, a local barbershop quartet, was unable to make it and since linford was "a professional musician" and there was a piano in the corner of the room, he became the featured entertainment for the evening. playing old hymns that were called out to him by his mother's friends, he discussed how odd it was that he can't remember songs that he wrote five years ago yet he remembered everything they requested that evening from his early years. a couple of songs into the second set, he mentioned that during the break a woman said "well you talked about the old hymns but you didn't play one." so he launched into a beautiful solo of "let the lower lights be burning" for her, to a quiet, dark, still room. it was stunning. beautiful.

all-in-all, i can't imagine a better day spent. it was beautiful. perfect. and yes...a bit surreal.

the setlist...

first set:
i don't wanna waste
fever
born
desperate
roll
innocent
trumpet child
kiddin' (and mickey really showed off for the hometown crowd)
trouble (w/molly)

break:
homemade brownies and kiss cookies

second set:
motherless child
orphan girl (w/molly)
let the lower light be burning (linford solo)
suitcase
ohio
tom (w/molly)
president (w/molly)
encore
hush now
drunkards prayer

the line-up:
karin bergquist - vocals, guitar, piano, cookie sheet
linford detweiler - piano, guitar, bass, vocals
jake bradley - bass, guitar
mickey grimm - drums and all kinds of shaky things
molly felder - backing vocals

ellery @ the rudyard kipling/louisville - june (friday the) 13th, 2008

tonight ellery, the husband and wife duo of tasha and justin golden (on piano/vocals and guitar respectively) played an opening set for garrison starr @ the legendary "rudyard kipling" in old louisville. it was a beautiful set in an intimate room with great sound. unfortunately, it was under-attended, but that didn't effect tasha and justin, they played like it was a full house.

i was first exposed to them via over the rhine a few years ago and have seen them 6-8 times since and love what they do more and more each time i see them. tasha has one of the more beautiful, sweet but yet powerful voices that i have heard lately. they are excellent writers, with touching, meaningful and thought prevoking lyrics with beautiful melodies. in other words, they do it all and they do it well. very well.

i got a chance to spend quite a bit of time just chatting about music, people, politics and nothing in particular with them before the show and they are truly generous, nice people, funny and insightful and lovers of music, each other and what they do. as wonderful people as they are artists. which always makes finding and supporting performers like this so much more enjoyable and rewarding.

find out more about them @ http://www.ellerymusic.com

OtR tomorrow night in new harmony. :)

alejandro escovedo @ headliner's/louisville (06.11.2008)

one of these days i have to play catch up, it's been too long.

but on to "now"...




my god, what an incredible show. hands down the best live performance that i have seen this year. alejandro's band consisting of: alejandro escovedo - guitar & vocals, david pulkingham - guitar, hector munoz -drums (his drummer of 23 years), brian standefer - cello, josh gravelin - bass and carrie rodriguez - violin & backing vocals generates a power that must be heard to be believed. remember the phrase "wall of sound" that was associated w/phil spector in the 60's...well, this is an updated, unabashed, incredible loud and live "wall of sound." all of the basics of hardcore rock and roll, two guitars, bass & drums, supplemented by an amazing cello player and the incomparable "special guest," carrie rodriguez on violin.

tonight was the first night of his tour w/james mcmurtry (who performed a painfully long hour & thirty minute opening set) after opening 3 shows for dave matthews (and as alejandro said, "having the honor of being ignored by 17,000 people per night"). he fully took advantage and enjoyed playing for his audience, a crowd there to see him. and carrie, dove in head first and rocked her fine little ass off, she was a great compliment/addition to this group of players.

most of the songs played tonight were from his new record, "real animal" (due out june 24th & recorded in lexington, ky) which he sold (and i bought) early tonight for the first time tonight + a several of his standards thrown in. one of the highlights was the title song "real animal" which he wrote about iggy pop and who he damn near channeled during the performance of the song. an amazing perfomance. he opened with "put you down" to set the pace and closed out the show with a rocking cover of the stones "beast of burden," during the "pretty, pretty, pretty girls" chant he invited two girls out of the audience that were dancing in front of the stage to join him on stage for the duration. and he enjoyed having them up there. a lot, it seemed.

what a show. go see this man play live. you will not be disappointed.

ben sollee opened the evening and played a beautiful 30 minute solo set. i was standing next to carrie rodriguez who came out to watch ben play and she replied "WOW!" and hooted, whistled, screamed and applauded loudly after each song ben played. pretty high praise from an amazing talent in her own right.

mcmurtry wasn't "bad," just your basic alt-country power trio, after about the third 6-7 minute song that was virtually indistinguishable from the one before or after it, i was ready to move on, unfortunately james wasn't. it would have been a perfect night if it had just been ben followed by alejandro.

but even he and his "set that wouldn't end" couldn't dim the light that was alejandro tonight...

some pics from ben's opening set.

is he crazy or just an out and out liar...

"straight talk express" my ass...



you decide. oh yeah...OBAMA 2008!

canal street tavern

=)

kathleen edwards - headliner's/louisville (04.17.2008)

first, kathleen edwards rocks. absolutely no debate or question about it. she rocks. for those not familiar with her, she's one of those little girls (maybe 5'-5'2" & 100-110 lbs) with a big voice and she can drink and cuss (and rock) harder than any man (or woman) twice her size. she is currently touring in support of her (excellent) new record, "asking for flowers" and played headliner's on thursday night, which was a perfect (yet unfortunately, underattended) venue for her and her band, led by husband colin cripps.

this was the third time that i had seen her and while she was excellent everytime, each show has been better than the one before and last night was no exception. about 5:30am (after her show ended about 12:30 am), louisville experienced a very rare event, a 5.4 scale earthquake, followed by a 4.7 aftershock @ about 11:40am, i joked to a co-worker that kathleen rocked the city so hard that it was still shakin' the next morning.

her set was well balanced from her two previous records, "failer" and "back to me" (still my favorite) and leaning heavily towards stuff from "asking for flowers." while her first two nailed me from the first listen, i was a little disapponted with "asking..." on the first pass, but it has grown on me with each additional listen and now holds up very well to her other work.

she opened the show by telling us..."you’ve got to warm up a little bit before you bust a nut” and moved into the beautiful "mercury" (from "failer"), playing an old and well-worn gibson acoustic. we were also treated to her on electric and fiddle/violin, her band was tight and had a great time playing with her/for us. we also got the back story behind "i make the dough, you get the glory" (great one/marty mcsorley) and the live debut of "oh canada."

one of the funniest moments of the night was her telling us after the first couple of songs, "i love playing louisville, this is my beverage mecca" then she bent over, picked up her glass, which we later found out contained woodford reserve and held it up to the audience and said "i'm no diva, but it's great that you don't have to explain what 'bourbon is' in your rider when you play here" to huge applause. then she asked "which way is woodford county?" someone pointed towards the back of the stage and she turned around, took a sip, bowed and blew a kiss in that direction. later in the show, while playing very hard and pacing the stage, she accidentially kicked over her glass of woodford and told us, "oh no! i spilled my bourbon...GOOD NIGHT!" (it was quickly replaced with a smile from a fan up front).

kathleen, like most music that i seem to enjoy, doesn't really fit neatly into any "genre"... not pop, not rock, not alt-country, she's like if you threw them all into a bag, shook it up hard and let it go. and it works. beautifully.

i was able to snag a setlist and she signed it and a couple of pics for me after the show. as she was previously, she was very sweet and personable, thanking me (and everyone else) for coming out and supporting her and her music, such a sweetheart.

i've said often, if you get a chance to see this girl play live. GO! trust me, you will not regret it.

Cat Power - Song for Bobby...

god, i just love this woman...

Reach a hand to the crescent moon...

Reach a hand to the crescent moon
grab hold of the hollow
If she sits in the palm of the left
that moon will be fuller tomorrow
If she sits in the palm of the right
that moon is on the wane
and the love of the one who shares your bed
will be doing just the same

Won't you come with me', she said,
there's plenty of room in my iron bed
You're looking cold and tired
and more than a little human
I know I'm not part of the life you had planned,
but I think once your body feels my hand
your mind will change
and your heart will lose its pain'

Out among the fields gently hipped
beneath the corn,
Assiniboine bones beneath the highway
he stood there and he thought of home
A finger traces the path of a satellite
You're drawn to a distant copse of trees
A voice as sweet as Mare's Tail
clings to the prairie breeze

Won't you come with me', she said,
there's plenty of room in my iron bed
You're looking cold and tired
and more than a little human
I know I'm not part of the life you had planned,
but I think once your body feels my hand
your mind will change
and your heart will lose its pain'

Do I reach for you
when I know you're on the wane?
Do I sense you when I know you're not around?
Do I search for you
when I know you can't be found?
Do I dare to speak your name?

Raise your eyes to a moonless sky
and try to wish upon a rising star
Search all you want for her blessing
but you won't find her sparkling there
Now cast your eyes to a part of the sky
where nothing but darkness unfolds
and watch as all around you
she reveals the brilliance of secrets untold

Won't you come with me, she said,
there's plenty of room in my iron bed
You're looking cold and tired
and more than a little human
I know I'm not part of the life you had planned,
but I think once your body feels my hand
your mind will change
and your heart will lose its pain

(Mike Timmins)

april 4th - 40 years ago...

Abraham, Martin and John
Recorded by "Dion"
Words and Music by Richard Holler

Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
You know, I just looked around and he's gone.

Anybody here seen my old friend John?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked around and he's gone.

Anybody here seen my old friend Martin?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked 'round and he's gone.

Didn't you love the things that they stood for?
Didn't they try to find some good for you and me?
And we'll be free
Some day soon, and it's a-gonna be one day ...

Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walk up over the hill,
With Abraham, Martin and John.

---------------------------------------------------------

a sad memory of a sad day. it's one of those things that i remember like it was yesterday, hearing the news over the radio while riding in the car with my mother (today is her also birthday), hearing the news and her saying simply saying, "oh my god."

i was 12 at the time of his death and growing up in atlanta, i knew of him and what he stood for but i don't think i had any clue of his worldly (or even national) significance at the time of his death, but i knew something major, something horrible, something big had just happened from her reaction.

the world lost a great man, a great leader and part of our conscience and a piece of our soul on that day, it would have been a much better place had he been allowed to stay in it longer.

Cowboy Junkies - Louisville (03.27.2008)

4k and counting (and their blood is on your hands mr. bush)

theirs and the blood of over 250,000 innocent iraqi citizens.






Masters of War
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - 1963

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead


Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music

some sad news...

earlier tonight, i got a note from linford asking that i post a couple of notes to help get the word out and to let fans know that they were having to cancel their part of the last two shows w/ani "due to a family emergency."

unfortunately, the emergency was a serious one, his father just had a "massive heart attack" and had to be airlifted to a nearby hospital. karin & linford were just leaving birmingham and headed home so they could be with him as soon as possible.

sadly, i just got a call from karin letting me know that linford's father had just passed away. this, as karin said was "sudden and unexpected." she asked me to post something just to let everyone know what had happened.

many have heard and read of the admiration, love and respect that linford spoke of his father with, both verbally and in his writings. my best wishes and thoughts go out to linford, karin, and to their entire family during this time. peace to you all.

something linford had written about his father a couple of years ago...

Every day arrives, becomes evening, becomes night, becomes morning: Birth – Life – Death – Resurrection: Wow God.

A hawk flies dead quiet into the locust grove next to the garden and waits: Birth – Life – Death – Resurrection: Wow God.

The maples this year were golden, rouged through and through, gilded with ambers and lovely rust. The maple grove shook out the softest yellow blanket of leaves, a kneedeep invitation. Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring: Birth – Life – Death – Resurrection: Wow God.

My own father turned 80 this fall. My father: the Amish boy who left the Amish farm at age 21 and eventually bought an upright piano for his own son. Birth – Life – Death – Resurrection: Wow God.

This is the vibration of the universe, the everywhere song, the rhythm of everything.

Linford Detweiler for Over the Rhine,
Nowhere Farm, November 3, 2006

Over the Rhine, last night at the...

holy motherchurch of american music.







what an amazing night. it was short, far too short. but they were stoked and inspired. and inspiring.

there was a great, respectful and appreciative crowd, mostly ani's audience, of about +/-1,800 and the ryman holds +/-2,400, so not sold out but still a nice size audience. there must be quite a few of ani's die hards following this tour, when karin introduced "born" and "drunkard's prayer," both got great applause and most others seemed recognized.

the show started with a powerful "i don't wanna waste" and an early on admission, by a grinning from ear-to-ear & admittedly "twitterpated" karin (then she wondered if if that was the first time "twitterpated" was used on the ryman stage) of... "yeah, it's our first time and we're honored to be here" and it ended with the beautiful "motherless child," playing to a drop dead quiet house. this song is stunning. maybe their best cover ever. and a standing ovation. at the ryman.

it was just "the trio" w/K&L&J, which is a great sound and juicy worked his usual magic on the room. the sound was pristine. perfect. as i've said about the ryman before, you don't just "hear it," it wraps around you and swallows you whole.

the evening was made far more special by the fact that i was given backstage access to take pictures. not long after i arrived at the ryman, the promoter took me backstage where i met up with karin, linford, jake and juicy. after we said some quick hello's and shared a few hugs, karin walked me out to and on to the stage. the ryman is one of the most famous stages in the world, the list of greats that have played it is virtually endless. the greatest of greats have stood there, year after year and walking on that stage an awe inspiring experience and an honor.

great night juicy, jake, linford and karin. and glen. thank you.

more pics can be seen @: http://picasaweb.google.com/bivester

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals @ Headliner's, Louisville (03.11.2008)

great show. grace and band were incredible. it was my first, will not be my last. :=)

see for yourself:

"Come rain, sleet or snow, Tift is still playing"

tift's gibson





the bad news...about 4"-5" wintery mix of snow, sleet & ice was on the ground, it had consistantly been falling since about 8:00 am in the morning. and still was...and tift merritt, one of my favorite singer/songwriters, was scheduled to play a free set, her only show in the area, at ear x-tacy @ 6:00pm.

the good news... an e-mail from ear x-tacy about noon yesterday, simply said "come rain, sleet or snow, tift is still playing"

well, i got there about 5:30 and there were only about 10 people there so far, it ended up that about 30 or 40 of us braved it in just to see her (and about another 15-20 or so shopping the store and listening) and she was impressed and happy that so many had braved the elements to see her. so happy that she expanded her planned 30minute set to about an hour and 15 minutes. it was tift solo, on her acoustic gibson and keys. she played most of the new record, the beautiful, "another country" w/a few from "bramble rose & tamborine" thrown in for good measure. about 1/2 way into the show, she stepped out in front of the monitors, as she excused herself to the people sitting on the floor and said "can you hear me ok? let's try this" and launched to a beautiful, almost acapella version of "supposed to make you happy." it was stunning. beautiful. even in the middle of a busy record story on a snowy friday night. it was dead still and quiet.

afterwards she said "if you've got anything you want me to sign, if you wanna say hi, whatever, i'll be here" and she hung around and chatted, signed and asked everybody how they liked the new record, joked about the snow. she was wearing, as she explained, a "carolina blue," not "kentucky blue" ear x-tacy sweatshirt/hoodie* that she made john (ear x's owner) "give her" because she was "horribly unprepared" for the weather, it was snowing like crazy and she didn't even bring a coat and was wearing about 6" open toed heels (to which john commented "i like your snow boots"). she said, "wasn't it 60 degrees here yesterday?" we all answered "yes."

during the show and meet and greet, the snow turned to ice and the drive home was a little slippery. but it was well worth the trip. many thanks to tift, john and the staff @ ear x-tacy for making it happen.

*




and, if you aren't familiar w/tift, you should be:

Tom Waits For No One

freakin' brilliant.

hillary, i'm so disappointed in you...

i thought that we renounced the politics of fear...


seems your husband even commented on it,


obama's response...


game. set. match. obama.

if that's all you've got left hillary. let it go. quit now.

'nuff said...

vote democrat in november!

Over the Rhine @ The Bomhard Theatre in the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts/Louisville (02.23.2008)

great show last night in this sold out, beautiful, acoustically sweet, 600 seat theatre within louisville's kentucky center for the performing arts. juicy had the room mixed perfectly and K&L&M&J delivered a beautiful, pretty diverse set including; including kicking off the show w/the surprising and stunning cover of "motherless child," many of the usual choices from TTC + "jesus in new orleans" (linford discussed that the ani tour would be their first return to NO since katrina), "cruel & pretty" followed by, at linford's request, "cast me away" (just K&L), a beautiful "etc whatever" (again, just K&L), "suitcase" and a wailing "b.p.d."

oh, and ben sollee rocked the fucking joint opening. a-damn-mazing set. this kid is a star.

he's opening for kim taylor next saturday night @ the northside tavern in cincinnati, can't wait to see him again.