See You at 930!

Hi everyone,

After a long winter, springtime makes me itchy to get outdoors. As luck would have it, 930 club offered me some enticing options last year. 930 is a small, no frills, standing-room-only venue that holds about 800 people. Sometimes I arrive really early to ensure a front-row spot by the stage. Other times (and more often these days), I arrive really early and head upstairs to the balcony, where 1) there's a railing to lean against and 2) the sound seems clearer. These things and comfortable shoes are important.  I usually forget that I've lost feeling in my feet because 930 shows are usually great. Here are a couple from last May.

The Both, May 2, 2014

I didn't know about this band until Jimmy Fallon told me. Flipping channels one night, I checked the late shows before heading to bed. Aimee Mann, whom I've loved since her Til Tuesday days in the '80s, was on The Tonight Show with some guy I didn't recognize. After their performance, Jimmy Fallon said that, from there, they – The Both – were headed to Washington, DC. Excited, I investigated and planned to go. Thanks, Jimmy!

I've seen Aimee Mann a few times on her own. We must have similar tastes because I always like her opening acts. For this concert, it was Nick Diamonds of the band Islands. This guy also has good taste: he covered "Are You Sleeping" from Harry Nilsson's The Point, one of my favorite albums as a kid, and flooded me with childhood memories. 

The Both tour supports the band's self-titled debut album. The second half of The Both is Ted Leo. I didn't know him, but lots of people at the concert did. Like the Sting and Paul Simon shows, there were distinct groups of Aimee fans and Ted fans in the audience. One of my friends who had already seen them on tour warned me that it wouldn't be like an Aimee Mann show. It wasn't; The Both is rockier. Aside from songs from their new album, though, they sang a couple of their solo songs for us too. 

I had a lot of room around me, leaning against the balcony railing. People on both sides were sitting behind me more toward the wall and never closed in toward the front. As I scanned the crowd below, my good fortune was spotted by a group of talkers who were all Aimee fans, ventured upstairs, and surrounded me. After every song, they gushed about how wonderful she sounded, how beautiful she looked, and declared their undying love. Then they left in the middle of the show to meet up with someone they'd been texting for drinks somewhere else. Right after they left the building, Aimee sang "Save Me," her Oscar-winning song from the film Magnolia, and a part of me was glad they missed it. (The rest of me was bewildered by them leaving.)   

Ted and Aimee make a complementary pair, and the best part of this show for me was actually all of their talking. Apparently, Ted and Aimee have been friends for years – and you can tell, watching them together on stage. It was like listening in on a long chatty phone call. I'd never heard Aimee Mann talk so much. At the start of our show, she mentioned their San Francisco show, where they talked for 25 minutes before realizing they hadn't played any songs yet. She said that wouldn't happen tonight because her brother was in the audience and warned her that he'd probably have to leave early. ("He has kids," she explained.) So, they got started pretty quickly. Throughout the concert, they hit a bunch of interesting topics, like bathroom graffiti and Ted's secret fanaticism for The Hobbit. (He even sang part of a song from a TV cartoon version of the story.)

During the encore, Aimee got heckled by a feisty group who wanted her to play one of her own songs (which I didn't know) called "Red Vines." She politely refused the request because, at The Both shows, she and Ted made a pact to sing every song together, and Ted didn't know this song. "I'm not doing this to be mean, but we're not doing the song," she said. They kept yelling for it, and Ted walked over to Aimee and whispered something in her ear: "Ted's telling me to give in to peer pressure," she reported.

Although she still didn't want to play it alone, she got frustrated by the drunken yelling and bargained, "I will sing the song if you just stop yelling. You can't yell again for the rest of the night – no noise!" (When they broke this rule later, she stopped them short.) I couldn't believe that she put up with these obnoxious fans, and I considered protesting accommodating their demands. Ted broke the tension by saying he could try to play the song; then, she was happy to do it.

It turned out to be wonderful because Ted Leo really didn't know the song at all. We witnessed a first rehearsal. He borrowed a cell phone from the sound guy to find the lyrics, and they started to play "Red Vines." Aimee suggested that she could start the song, and he could come in after the first verse. At the end of the first verse, though, she said, "You look like you need your reading glasses." They were in his dressing room, but someone in the audience saved the day. "Oh my God!" Aimee exclaimed, "Someone just threw you their reading glasses!" He put them on, gave us the thumbs up, and they started again. In the end, he mostly stumbled through backing vocals by watching what she was singing. As soon as the song was over, Aimee threw her head back laughing and we all cheered at the effort. What great performers under pressure!

Here's a song from The Both called "Milwaukee," which captures their goofiness and guitars.

You Tube video: "Milwaukee" by The Both (© The Both): https://youtu.be/VqSYzOXkthg

Elbow, 930 club, Washington, DC, May 11, 2014

Elbow is a British band from Manchester that I heard during a fashion show that I watched online. Halfway through it, I realized I wasn't paying attention to the fashion but the music being played in the background. Shortly after that, Elbow showed up in DC at 930 while on tour  supporting their hit album (the one I heard during the fashion show) called The Seldom Seen Kid. Their popular songs from that album include "Grounds for Divorce" and "One Day Like This." A friend, who had never heard of them before, looked them up and joined me then based on what she heard online. Still devoted fans, we saw them again when they returned.   

Aside from writing great songs, Elbow is sincerely friendly, which I always appreciate from performers. Our concert was the first stop on their new tour, supporting their latest album, The Take Off and Landing of Everything. They dedicated a song to 930's staff because, lead singer Guy Garvey said, everyone they've worked with at the club is nice, and playing this venue is always a highlight for them. He also mentioned two friends in the audience, Lois and Dennis, who'd been championing Elbow since the beginning. He pointed them out, in a special balcony spot above the stage. It's refreshing to see nice people make it as successful rock stars.

I love that Elbow uses strings and horns in their alt-rock songs. They always offer interesting melodies, surprising sounds, and wonderful harmonies. Guy Garvey's voice sounds a lot like Peter Gabriel, but Elbow have their own fantastic sound. I liked their new songs immediately but was apparently late to this party. Everyone around us already knew all the lyrics and sang along. By the end of the concert, this behavior was the norm, and the crowd drowned out Guy Garvey's voice at times. After the show was over, my friend shook her head, "Man, they have some crowd-pleasing songs." That's the truth.

Here's a video for "New York Morning," which is on their latest album and features Lois and Dennis! See how nice Elbow is?

You Tube video, "New York Morning" by Elbow (© Elbow): https://youtu.be/cqnIbueM5fE

Catch these bands on tour when you can. They rock!

Best,


Credits: The Both band photo © Christian Lantry, album cover: SuperEgo Records; Elbow band photo © Tom Sheehan,  album cover: Fiction/Concord  

The Wainwrights Strike Back

Hi everyone,

You might remember that I saw Rufus Wainwright with his sister Lucy in concert at 930 club for the first time in 2013. It was so fantastic that I vowed to see them whenever they returned. Last April, they did, performing at Lincoln Theatre this time. This historic venue is located a few blocks away from 930 and is owned by the same people. Lincoln Theatre is bigger and  fancier than 930 and therefore, to me, seems better suited for Rufus Wainwright. By this time, I'd met a friend who has been a fan of his for years and had seen him in concert many more times than me. She joined me for this show, and we scored a pair of VIP seats in the left-side stage-level box located about a foot away from the performance space. We were already thrilled, and the show hadn't even started yet.

Like last time, Lucy Wainwright Roche opened the show in her delightful way, discussing random topics and asking if we had any questions or comments between songs. At one point, she mentioned Ben's Chili Bowl and how she didn't have a chance to eat before the show. Someone in the crowd offered to get her some food, and a debate began among audience members about whether to get her meat or vegetarian chili. Then she talked about recently playing at Jammin Java in Vienna, Virginia, but no one showed up. She asked us where she should play next time to ensure a full audience. This started another debate with people yelling out various venues and reasons why they're good and bad. She stopped us and suggested that we think about it until after the show and then discuss it some more. I think these kinds of things probably only happen in D.C.

Lucy's voice is very pure and clear, which is what I love about it. I'd also seen her on her own at The Kennedy Center and am always entertained by her stage presence and moved by her songs. When she stops by your town, you should definitely go see her. Here's one of her songs, "Last Time," to give you a taste:

You Tube Video: "Last Time" by Lucy Wainwright Roche (https://youtu.be/zOXtC9-ps7g) 

After she finished her set, Rufus Wainwright made a grand entrance onto the stage, wearing an amazing full-length cream-colored silk John Paul Gaultier coat with red floral embroidery, sequin, and other sparkly beading. He said he saw this coat at a party, put it on, left with it, and had been wearing it at concerts for about year now. I could have gone home after this and been happy, but there's more!

Rufus Wainwright has an amazing voice and great musicality. The uniqueness of his songs always surprises me. He sang a few of them and then started playing a dramatic, classical, tornado-like concoction on the piano. The lights flickered and swirled as he told us a story about walking downtown late one night, seeing someone come out of the shadows, and trying to make out who it was....

Then, Liza Minnelli showed up. (It was really Lucy dressed like Liza, but we went with it.) She was led out by masked man in a tux as Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" blasted out of the speakers. They sang a song that Rufus wrote as tribute to Liza Minnelli called "Me and Liza." (The whole thing went something like this, but in English.)

Afterward, he left it to "Liza" to entertain us while he tuned his guitar. In her typical fashion, Lucy asked us if we had any questions. No one really did, and Rufus couldn't believe it: "I know you're all into politics, but this is a real opportunity here," he told us. "This is Liza Minnelli! This is show biz!" (He emphasized this with jazz hands!) Some people began asking goofy questions about Liza's recent appearance at the Oscars and host Ellen DeGeneres's jokes about her. Finished tuning, Rufus took control of this situation –
Rufus: "What was it like having Judy Garland as a mother?"
Liza/Lucy: "Fabulous!"
Rufus: "Okay, let's sing a song."

At this concert, he sang a bit of everything: hits like "Vibrate" and "Out of the Game," new songs like "Argentina" and "Friendship is the Wind," and even pieces from his opera Prima Donna. Among all this entertainment, the highlight of the show was "Candles," a song for which Rufus put his guitar down and silently walked up to the microphone. He sang it acapela, and the song came out of him in every direction, with his entire body swaying like a car dealership's airdancer on a windy day. When he finished, we were silent until one guy among us said, "Whoa." That sparked our eruption of cheers. It was pretty spectacular.

This isn't quite as mesmerizing as the D.C. version, but here he is singing "Candles" in San Francisco in Davies Symphony Hall, June 9, 2013:

You Tube video: Candles by Rufus Wainwright (https://youtu.be/S2p06Atb-i4)

Are you a fan yet?  Catch these two on the road when you can, and you will be.

Best,

Beautiful Voices!

Hi everyone,

Last Tuesday, I headed down to 930 club to catch Rufus Wainwright on his "Solo" tour. I'd never seen him in concert before, though I have a couple of his covers on my iPod. Intrigued that he'd be playing alone, I didn't know what to expect. I hardly ever go to concerts on a hunch, but I had a good feeling about this one. Rufus has got talent.

I held off buying a ticket until the day of the show. I read a few days beforehand that another Wainwright would serve as the opening act and knew I'd regret not going to what was bound to be a special concert. Maybe sings with his musical family all the time and I just don't know it. In any case, you can't beat seeing someone cool in the intimacy of 930 club's tiny venue.

I arrived after work, feeling lucky and perplexed that the show was not yet sold out. About 20 other early birds and I waited in line for only a few minutes before being escorted into the club early through a side door I didn't know existed. I could get used to this V.I.P. treatment, but letting us in the room before the later arrivals must just be a new crowd-control strategy.

I typically like to be front and center for 930 club concerts so I can see the performers up close, but I headed up to the balcony for this one because I think the sound is better up there. Since I had no knowledge or expectations of what I'd be hearing, I wanted to hear it in the best spot.


© Lucy Wainwright Roche

I made a good choice because The Wainwrights are fantastic! The
opening act was Rufus Wainwright's little sister Lucy, who played a few of her own songs on acoustic guitar. Not only does she have a great voice and lovely sad songs set to happy tunes, she was also really chatty, friendly, and funny. She greeted us with, "So, you guys don't care about the State of the Union, huh?" After the first couple of songs, she asked, "Does anyone have any comments or questions so far?" People yelled out from the audience and, in her effort to help us get us to know her better, she actually answered most of the questions--everything from her favorite color to the kind of car she drives. (Actually, she didn't answer that one, saying, "It's a long story....It's on its last legs.") Some people in the audience knew her from her Science Channel show, Stuff You Should Know, which she discussed excitedly when asked about it. Someone near me commented, "She's delightful," which is a perfect description of Lucy Wainwright Roche. Her new album will be released in May.

When she mentioned that her half-hour set was coming to a close, people obligingly groaned with disappointment. "Oh, you're sweet," she said. "Don't be sad because Rufus is going to come out here, and he's going to blow your minds."

It was no lie. Her brother was amazing! The room filled up more and the crowd screamed louder for Rufus Wainwright. "Forget the Union, let's have some anarchy!" he suggested. "That's what you guys sound like...and I like it!"

© Rufus Wainwright

The only songs I knew were "The Maker Makes," which I recognized from Brokeback Mountain, and "Hallelujah," which everyone knows. But it didn't matter because all of the songs were great. They included "Martha," about his older sister, "Going to Town," which he dedicated to the House of Representatives, and "Memphis Skyline," which he wrote as tribute to Jeff Buckley. His sister showed up again to duet on a few songs too.

What impressed me most about this concert was hearing the bare bones of the music. He sang, playing on either a grand piano or Lucy's acoustic guitar, until one of its strings broke and the 930 club's sound guy came to the rescue with a spare instrument. "This is what happens when you don't sell enough records; you can't afford roadies," he said while waiting for the sound guy to get back to his spot.

I love these kinds of little mishaps that make a show intimate and one-of-a-kind. During a fantastic song, called "Vibrate," he missed a note and called out his mistake (which I didn't notice). While covering his mother's song, "The Walking Song," he thought he didn't play a piano section well enough. "That was no good. I have to do that again. It was the sandwich," he said, referring to his pre-show "vegetarian hoagie" dinner. Without interruption, he repeated that refrain to get it right. (It sounded fine to me both times.) We all laughed along when these things happened, as if we were joking around in his living room, but then snapped back immediately transfixed by each song.

I've always seen noisy bands at 930 club, great ones blasting electric guitars, drums, and booming bass lines, who get us jumping and singing along to every note. I've never been there in this atmosphere, with an audience so calmly attentive. The acoustics were perfect and all-encompassing. Rufus Wainwright's voice really commands a room! I expected that but also discovered he's an amazing musician. It was as if he were playing intricate classical music on that grand piano, layering it with a unique melody and well-written lyrics. All of the songs grabbed my attention and made me, for the most part, forget everything going on around me. That's a performer!

Here's a sampling, thanks to YouTube. He sang this song, "Montauk"--from his latest CD, Out of the Game--as part of the encore. This song made me want to run home and buy all of his albums. (You should too so that he can afford a roadie.)

© Studio Q

Don't miss Rufus Wainwright when he comes to your town or back here to D.C. He'll leave you inspired.

In the meantime, you can catch Lucy Wainwright Roche at The Kennedy Center as part of Millennium Stage's Songwriters Series on March 24th.  She mentioned it during her set and was disappointed that we didn't whip out our smart phones to mark our calendars. I prefer my mental calendar and plan to attend. Join me! She's delightful.

Best,