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Nellie McKay in China (old but new) & 5th Zappa beer (soon)
There are some new-old (or old-new?) Nellie McKay songs on iTunes. Four songs from the never released Live from the Great Wall of China concert that Nellie was involved in back in Sept 2004…
(photo by eatsdirt)
Songs: Dog Song, Manhattan Avenue, I Wanna Get Married, Really
Each song is its “own album” for $0.99. Odd iTunes categorization, but great performances by Nellie. Alicia Keys, Boyz II Men, and Cyndi Lauper also performed at the original concert (wacky line-up indeed). Only Boyz II Men have songs up on iTunes outside of Nellie (as of now). There is video footage of this concert that was intended for a DVD release a while ago, but as far as I know it never got released due to issues with the Chinese government.
No, I made that up. It is Bruce Jenner’s fault, not the Chinese government’s fault. Or maybe Bruce Banner?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Unrelated… the 5th Frank Zappa beer made by Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA) will be a Cruisin’ with Ruben & the Jets ale. Meh, it’s one of my least favorite FZ albums… but I’m a beer drinker and a Frank Zappa collector.
Someone is selling one on eBay now… my local beer shop (the Bier Stein, Eugene Oregon) doesn’t have it yet, but expects it soon.
Ya Hozna!
~Dan – np: Tori Amos – The Beekeeper
Nellie McKay is adorable
This comes from Pop Matters. #15 is classic Nellie quirkiness…
>>>>>>
Singer, songwriter, actor and activist Nellie Mckay calls her music ‘schizophrenic voodoo’. Schizophrenic because she jumps genres – from Tin Pan Alley pop and cabaret to reggae, rap and jazz—voodoo because these elements mysteriously gel with her evocative, playful, and bold lyrics. The fictional character most like her? A mix of Lassie, Scarlett O’Hara, Godzilla and Nancy Drew. These and other reveling facets of her character are discussed with PopMatters 20 Questions.
A contributor to The Onion and The New York Times Book Review, McKay won a Theatre World Award for her portrayal of Polly Peachum in the Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera. She’s written the music and lyrics for the film adaptation of Katherine Arnoldi’s The Amazing True Story of a Teenage Single Mom, and is currently creating the Broadway musical version of the book and movie, Election.
1. The latest book or movie that made you cry?
Richard LaGravenese’s P.S. I Love You – for all the wrong reasons
2. The fictional character most like you?
I’m sort of a mix of Lassie, Scarlett O’Hara, Godzilla and Nancy Drew.
3. The greatest album, ever?
Anything by Toby Keith.
4. Star Trek or Star Wars?
A Star is Born (the first one).
5. Your ideal brain food?
When politics intersect with art.
6. You’re proud of this accomplishment, but why?
Dropping out of college: freethinking sustained by action.
7. You want to be remembered for…?
Being a great guy.
8. Of those who’ve come before, the most inspirational are?
The renegade Jews.
9. The creative masterpiece you wish bore your signature?
Rejuvenate! (It’s Never Too Late) by Eartha Kitt.
10. Your hidden talents…?
I can get really angry and no one can tell.
11. The best piece of advice you actually followed?
Please yourself.
12. The best thing you ever bought, stole, or borrowed?
A typewriter, a house, an idea.
13. You feel best in Armani or Levis or…?
A tent.
14. Your dinner guest at the Ritz would be?
Charo.
15. Time travel: where, when and why?
I wouldn’t want to ruin my illusions, but I would love to live sometime between the ‘20s and the ‘40s in New York, to have an icebox and two roommates, one sassy, with a one-syllable name, and one brainy (me and the sassy one would work on getting the brainy one out of the house, and me and the brainy one would work on the sassy one’s failed relationships with no-good sailors).
All three making a go of it in showbiz, running around from auditions to night club jobs and stopping for a nickel coffee and circling the theatrical ads, and communing at delis and drugstores with my fellow creative types, all of whom would go on to great renown, and maybe stand outside the theater
in the rain and get Lotte Lenya’s autograph, and be given a huge creamy bubble coat from a stage door Johnny who wouldn’t expect anything in return but to take me to dinner (according to Oscar Levant, that was often all they asked). And once in a while our gang would go to Woolworth’s for a big splurge, and we’d sit at the counter and order all the French fries and malts we could manage (these being politically unaware times with regard to animal products, but at least there were no factory farms).
During the holidays we would all troop over to a friend who had an office job and we would have the merriest time at their Christmas party on the 25th floor of some mogul’s extravagant tower, and later we would entertain ourselves just wandering around the Village in the falling snow, and sneaking to the top of the Washington Square arch where we would declare martial law throughout the city and set about writing a brief constitution that we would subsequently tear to bits and sprinkle down on the cops amassing below.
We would be dreadfully hung over the next morning, but we’d be all right because we still had a little orange juice, bread and celery in the icebox and that would tide us over until the next big payday, which was certain to be right around the corner.
That or…I would live in the 1960s and work part time for the national anti-vivisection society while attending marches and student meetings in all my spare time. I would wear a burnt orange/camel colored waistcoat and an old paisley dress and dark stockings with my granny shoes, and carry an old carpet bag which I would cram with flyers, books of poetry and calls to revolution. Long hours would be spent over spaghetti and wine designing our future utopia in which all the pitfalls of the human condition could be avoided with a little foresight and much compassion and forward-thinking.
The problem with evil, we decided, was in its naïveté; if Hitler had realized the Holocaust would not solve all his personal problems, he never would have felt compelled to make it happen. Our future must be grounded in the reality of existence, not over-compensating for miracles that had not and could not occur, or the basic injustice of life, never more obvious than at these meetings themselves, where the pretty people were deified as much if not more than in conventional society.
I would attend every be-in, every concert, absorb every opportunity to learn and grow that I could, all the while wearing my vulnerability with pride, an ability to be hurt not intrinsic to my femaleness but my humanity, not just to my humanity but my status as a living being, as comparable to a blade of grass as to a president.
Eventually I would meet a nice SDS member and raise him up like a puppy, teaching him the tenets of my burgeoning feminism and raising a family in the most organic, honest way possible. This leads to my eventual and complete fulfillment.
16. Stress management: hit man, spa vacation or Prozac?
Ovaltine with Prozac.
17. Essential to life: coffee, vodka, cigarettes, chocolate, or…?
Parcheesi.
18. Environ of choice: city or country, and where on the map?
Doesn’t matter, polluted’s good. It’s over.
19. What do you want to say to the leader of your country?
What leader?
20. Last but certainly not least, what are you working on, now?
Bringing it all back home.
~Dan – np: Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Aimee Mann / Nellie McKay
Aimee Mann has a Daytrotter Session up now… four songs, in-studio for FREE…
http://daytrotter.com/article/1447/aimee-mann
1) Freeway 2) Thirty One Today 3) Phoenix 4) Little Tornado
Past Daytrotter Sessions I’ve blogged about (and dug):
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nellie McKay has an Uncensored Interview session up…
http://www.uncensoredinterview.com/artists/343-Nellie-McKay
Former Uncensored Interviews I’ve dug:
- My Brightest Diamond
- 2 Foot Yard
- Dub Trio
- Kaki King
- The Bad Veins
- Pharaoh’s Daughter
- Slavic Soul Party!
~Dan – np: Mogwai – The Hawk is Howling
REVIEW: Nellie McKay @ Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR – – 8/15/08)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW are at the BOTTOM
Early shows are problematic, especially if you have to drive 2 hours to get to them. Oh, and also if the artist thought they started later. Blame for this goes squarely to the Doug Fir Lounge, in my opinion. Double-booking a night is horrible. Horrible. Nellie McKay* would have likely played much longer, had she been allowed to… argh.
*– for the newbies, her last name rhymes with “McPie”
Anyway, the opener Amorèe Lovell started right at 7pm, and played a stellar 40 minutes. She is from Portland, and plays a mean piano with quirky lyrics and fun banter. I’d say she fits in with the likes of Regina Spektor & Nellie McKay with a touch of Tori Amos. She also brings her own charm & style. She was very entertaining. She played mainly originals, but also threw in some Tom Waits, Johnny Cash & David Bowie. On to Nellie…
Nellie‘s start time was supposed to be 8pm. She didn’t hit the stage until nearly 8:30, due to a mix-up with her start time. Most of the crowd was getting antsy (myself included), as the late show had a “doors open” time of 9:30. Yikes. With that being said, Nellie came on and put on a great just shy of an hour show. She seemed more comfortable and confident, and she was as funny / spunky as usual.
Nellie’s Setlist:
- Toto Dies
- Old Enough
- Mother of Pearl [on uke]
- story about prince chunky, the 44 pound cat
- The Dog Song (a fav of the set)
- Real Life
- Tipperary
- Don’t Fence Me In [on uke]
- Vote for Mr. Rhythm [with Obama tag at the end]
- Sari (a fav of the set… with Dylan impression at the end)
- Feed the Birds
- Politan
- Don’t Fence Me In [false start… she remembered she already did it] :)
- Me Gusta Mañana [on uke.. a silly spanish song]
- explanation about her NPR song “Cavendish”… she didn’t have time to brush up on it, but sometime soon
- Zombie (a fav of the set)
- Encore 1: Really
- Encore 2: Ding Dong
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.myspace.com/prettylittlehead
- http://www.nelliemckay.com/ (official)
- http://www.nelliemckay.org/ (fan site)
- http://www.myspace.com/amoreelovell
- http://www.amoreelovell.com/
- http://www.dougfirlounge.com/
- My blog reviewing Nellie in Eugene, OR 10/5/07
- My blog about Nellie @ TEDtalks
- My blog about Nellie’s Project Song on NPR (where she wrote “Cavendish” in 48 hours)
Next show for me? Radiohead next Wednesday at White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, WA (up near Seattle). Woot!!
I was a pageant gone bad…
~Dan – np: Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins – Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins
NELLIE MCKAY CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
more Nellie McKay
Here’s a video from TEDtalks with Nellie McKay singing “Mother of Pearl” and “If I Only Had You”…
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/nellie_mckay…
You can also download the video and audio. Check the links in that page (multiple file formats, plus podcast links). The audio version is over 19-minutes and includes more content…
- The In Crowd (a serious song in a cute voice)
- Dog Song
- Mother of Pearl
- If I Only Had You
- “Goodbye” (guessing on title)
- Clonie
Nellie McKay in PDX
Friday, August 15th… Nellie McKay at Portland’s Doug Fir Lounge. Tickets procured… woot!
We saw her last fall at The Shedd in Eugene… fantastic show (here’s the review). We’re totally looking forward to this show… she’s a veritable fireball of energy and wit – – equal parts virtuoso and silly.
http://nelliemckay.com/
http://www.myspace.com/prettylittlehead (official)
http://www.myspace.com/nelliemckay (fan)
~Dan – np: John Coltrane – Newport ’63
Her Fourth album, NPR’s Project Song, and remaking ’There Will Be Blood’
Nellie McKay is at it again. “It” being writing another album. Her fourth release is due out this fall (yay!). Her comment on it… “it’ll be kick ass.”
She is also the debut artist for Bob Boilen / NPR’s Project Song. 2 days, 1 artist, 1 song. BTW, it’s downloadable (iTunes or other RSS feeder) as part of the “NPR All Songs Considered” podcast.
She wrote and recorded a song called “Cavendish” based on a photo (the 2nd one below)… the song fits in more with her easy-listening/old-timey songs (not her quirky raps or Zombie-romps). She sang all parts and played ukelele, piano, cello, and drum programming for the song. (They gave her a 3rd day to work on it.)
The photo inspiration:
Rumors that McKay is set to develop a cure for pancreatic cancer, successfully impeach the president on the Senate floor and remake There Will Be Blood, playing every role by herself (including the milkshake), have yet to be confirmed at press time.
~Dan
* Favorite VOCAL Albums of 2007 *
My Other Favorites of 2007 Recaps:
Fav Concerts of ’07 are recapped *HERE*
Fav Local / Vinyl / Internet-Only / Podcasts of ’07 are *HERE*
Fav EPs / Compilations / Music DVDs of ’07 are *HERE*
Fav Instrumental Albums of ’07 are *HERE*
Favorite Vocal Albums of 2007
1) Silverchair – Young Modern – Daniel Johns, leader of Silverchair, is one of my rock heroes. On Young Modern, he and the boys didn’t disappoint. This album is a continuation of the feel from Diorama, but perhaps more cohesive. Diorama was fantastic (A++), but this one seems less disjointed. Best album of the year, by far.
http://www.chairpage.com/
http://www.myspace.com/silverchair
2) Radiohead – In Rainbows – This is a quintessential Radiohead album. Check out my track-by-track review HERE.
http://www.radiohead.com/
http://www.myspace.com/radiohead
3) Elliott Smith – New Moon – I had many of the songs on this double-CD already from the demo stockpile on the internets, but this collection also had many new tunes from my favorite long lost songwriter. His death affected me more than any other “celebrity.” His words really cut through, and I’m glad that his unreleased music still made its way out.
http://www.sweetadeline.net
http://www.myspace.com/elliottsmithnewmoon
4) Ken Andrews – Secrets of the Lost Satellite – Another rock hero of mine… I got into Ken Andrews via Chroma Key (Ken’s 1st On record was highly talked about by CK’s Kevin Moore, or Kevin was touring with Ken). Anyway, this newest solo album is a bit like On but also a bit like Failure & Year of the Rabbit. You can’t go wrong in my book, Ken. Some great hooky hardrock.
http://www.kenandrews.com/
http://www.myspace.com/kenandrews
5) Puscifer – V is for Vagina – Another Maynard James Keenan side project. His main band (Tool) is still my favorite of his artistic outlets, but Puscifer has a really good vibe. Poor choice in album title (in my opinion), but I realize that it’s a stand against censorship (which I support.. meaning I support the stand against, not the actual censorship). Alas, the packaging for this album wins the Best Packaging Award for 2007. It’s built like an emergency airline pamphlet… and it’s quite hilarious. Kudos, Maynard!
http://www.puscifer.com/
http://www.myspace.com/censorshipisacancer
6) Iron & Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog – Hush-toned singer-songwriter tour de force. Gritty and witty, subtle brutally honest lyrics. Nice story telling…
http://www.ironandwine.com/
http://www.myspace.com/ironandwine
7) Dug Pinnick (of king’s X) – Strum Sum Up – I love Dug/Doug. This is by far his best album. Great songs, and the extended jams are exciting, too (I kinda was disappointed when I first heard of the idea, but loved it once I heard the music). Wally Farkas (of the Galactic Cowboys) and Hal Sparks helped out on this record.
http://www.dugpinnick.com/
http://www.myspace.com/dugpinnickpoundhound
8 ) Michael Kelsey – The Way It Rolls – Michael Kelsey gets added to the list of things I’m sad about moving away from Ohio. Michael Kelsey (not from Ohio, but neighboring Indiana) is a fucking Midwestern U.S. musical TREASURE. His records are always great, but his live show is one of legend. He blows your mind, the mind of the guy next to you, and the mind of the lady in the parking lot paying the meter… all with 6 strings and 37 fingers. I mean, the way he plays, he has to have 37 fingers. Doesn’t he?
http://www.michaelkelsey.com/
http://www.myspace.com/michaelkelseymusic
9) Wussy – Left For Dead – Best local CD (Cincinnati, OH) for me in 2007. Lisa and Chuck are a great songwriting team. I dig both of their vocals, and the band knows how to kick it! Great rock and a well-produced sophomore record!
http://www.wussymusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/therealwussy
10) Nellie McKay – Obligatory Villagers – Quirky, cute, brilliant songstress and obfuscator of journalists. Short and sweet third record. We got to see her this year in Eugene (concert review) this year. Fantastic show!! She rarely disappoints. I hope to hear more of her music now that she’s out of the clutches of Columbia/Sony/Artist Screwers Int’l.
http://www.nelliemckay.com/
http://www.myspace.com/prettylittlehead
11) Tegan and Sara – The Con – Great indie pop rock record from this twin sister songwriting duo. This is their 5th record (by my count), and they truly get better with age.
http://www.teganandsara.com/
http://www.myspace.com/teganandsara
12) Abigail’s Ghost – Selling Insincerity – For fans of Porcupine Tree… get this album now. It did for me what Steven Wilson didn’t do for me this year… get to 12 on my list. ;) Don’t worry, Steven Wilson continually impresses, too. Regardless, Abigail’s Ghost is right up a PT fan’s alley — lush progressive rock without the spandex, frizzy hair and crotch-too-tight falsetto.
http://www.abigailsghost.com/
http://www.myspace.com/abigailsghost
13) Blackfield – Blackfield II – Ok, Steven Wilson made it to 13. I got to see Blackfield in NYC this year (concert review). Aviv Geffen and Steven Wilson have a great chemistry. Blackfield II continues on the path laid out by BF I.
http://www.blackfield.org/
http://www.myspace.com/blackfield
14) Eisley – Combinations – A harder-edged Sixpence None the Richer, perhaps. This five-piece band of siblings astonishes me. Mainly because if I could never be in a functioning band with my 3 other siblings. Add another… fahgetaboutit. Eisley brings great vocal harmonies and a rocky edge to what might have otherwise been sugary pop. Kudos on the sophomore album! I dig it.
http://www.eisley.com/
http://www.myspace.com/eisley
15) Foo Fighters – Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace – You may have heard some of their songs on the radio. Dave Grohl and Co know how to rock and grab you with a hook. That’s all I can say.
http://www.foofighters.com/
http://www.myspace.com/foofighters
16) Megadeth – United Abominations – Chunka chunka chunnk. I’m glad Dave Mustaine is back at it. Sometimes cheesy lyrically, usually brutal and fun listen, though. A+.
http://www.megadeth.com/
http://www.myspace.com/megadeth
17) Dream Theater – Systematic Chaos – Complex and more rewarding after each listen.
http://www.dreamtheater.net/
http://www.myspace.com/dreamtheater
18 ) Crunchy – Loserville – Monty Colvin (of the Galactic Cowboys) knows how to write a good pop-punk song about being an outcast. Some may say that’s his downfall. Oh, but what a sweet downfall… or… er… resulting record. His 3rd record under the Crunchy moniker… it’s a welcome addition to my collection of Colvin art (I also own one of his paintings… he’s a superb painter, yo!).
http://www.montycolvin.com/
http://www.myspace.com/montycolvin
19) Finger Eleven – Them vs. You vs. Me – I had no idea that “Paralyzer” was big this year. Just shows you how much I know about radio (I haven’t purposefully listened in going on 20 years). Anyway, I’ve been a big fan of F11 since Tip (late 90s), and I’m glad that their last two records have been solid consistent hard rock… with vocals that I love.
http://www.fingereleven.com/
http://www.myspace.com/fingereleven
20) Over the Rhine – The Trumpet Child – Well, I got “fired” by the band for being a “bad fan.” It was equal parts embarrassing, and equal parts rewarding. Alas, I still liked this record enough to crack the Top 20. “If a Song Could be President” (while quaint in lyric) is one of the worst songs ever for me (way too country for me), but “Don’t Wait For Tom” makes up for it. Totally fun track… and a solid record overall. Oh, and, Karin… sorry for being a bad fan. I still like ya.
http://www.overthewhine.com/
http://www.myspace.com/overthewhine
21) Greydon Square – The Compton Effect – Great rap style with free-thinking atheist lyrics too boot. Infectious rhythms and vocals. I hope his follow-up this coming year tops it. :-) I also hopes he catches on more and can tour more beyond skeptical/atheist conferences to which I can’t afford to travel.
http://www.greydonsquare.com/
http://www.myspace.com/greydonsquare
22) Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam) – Into the Wild – Got this for xmas from my brother (and sis-in-law). Fantastic short set by Eddie. I really need to see this movie, too… it’s from a book that I actually read. :P
http://www.pearljam.com
http://www.myspace.com/intothewildmovie
23) Tori Amos – American Doll Posse – Solid album by pop’s bad girl. I think her many personas are getting tiring (see, I’m a “bad fan” of more than just Over the Rhine), but she still brings her A game for 95% of this CD. I wish I’d have seen her on her latest tour, too… I heard it was killer.
http://www.toriamos.com/
http://www.myspace.com/toriamos
24) Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet – Their material on the Nil Recurring -EP- should have made its way onto this record. Great stuff nonetheless… it grows on me, slower than prior PT work, but solid songs nonetheless.
http://www.porcupinetree.com/
http://www.myspace.com/porcupinetree
25) Tomahawk – Anonymous – Mike Patton and Duane Denison (Jesus Lizard) on Native American sourced rock songs. Not as all over the place like prior Tomahawk records… which is unfortunately missed. Alas, Mike and Duane still bring it, and over up a wonderful take on traditional tribal melodies.
http://www.ipecac.com/
http://www.myspace.com/tomahawkofficial
honorable mentions:
Coheed and Cambria – Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV – Volume Two: No World For Tomorrow / That1Guy and the Magic Pipe – The Moon is Disgusting / La Mar Enfortuna (aka Elysian Fields) – Conviviencia / Ozomatli – Don’t Mess With the Dragon / My Brightest Diamond – Tear It Down (remixes)
myspace/coheedandcambria – myspace/that1guy – myspace/lamarenfortuna – myspace/ozomatli – myspace/mybrightestdiamond
That’s it for my 2007 lists… whew… next year it’ll take less time to do (hopefully)…
~Dan – np: George Hrab – Interrobang
Favorite Concerts of 2007
Well, there are still some 2007 CDs that may or may not arrive in my hands before the year’s over (specifically Eyvind Kang, Dave Douglas, Greydon Square, Radiohead, Doug Pinnick & La Mar Enfortuna — all of which have Top 20 potential); so I’m not ready to post my “Best CDs of 2007” list, yet. Look for that one sometime in early 2008…
This blog is for my favorite concerts of 2007. I went to too many to recount in detail, but these are the tip-top ones…
- Music Now Festival 2007 (Pedro Soler, Bryce Dessner, David Cossin, the Clogs, the Havels, Osso, Amiina, My Brightest Diamond, Sufjan Stevens) at the Memorial Hall, Cincinnati-OH (4/5/07 to 4/7/07) my review
- Masada (John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Greg Cohen, Joey Baron) at the Rose Theatre at the Lincoln Center, New York-NY (3/10/07) my review
- Nellie McKay at the Shedd Institute, Eugene-OR (10/5/07) my review
- Silverchair at the Fillmore @ the TLA, Philadelphia-PA (7/28/07) review snippet
- Secret Chiefs 3 at the Bowery Ballroom, New York-NY (3/15/07) my review
- John Zorn’s Moonchild (Mike Patton, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron) at the Moore Theatre, Seattle-WA (11/4/07) my review
- Holy Fuck at the Southgate House, Newport-KY (4/1/07) my review
- Antibalas at the Southgate House, Newport-KY (4/29/07) review snippet
- Noctaluca at the Taste of Cincinnati, Cincinnati-OH (5/28/07)
- Blackfield (Steven Wilson & Aviv Geffen) at the Bowery Ballroom, New York-NY (3/16/07) my review
OK, I guess I’ve still got coming up in 2007 Iron & Wine in Portland (12/2) and maybe David Bazan (Pedro the Lion) in Eugene (12/14); but the above concerts were my favorites of 2007…
Happy thanksgiving, yo! One thing I’m thankful for is definitely music… :-)
~Dan – np: npr jazz profiles (podcast) – duke ellington: the bandleader, pt. 1
12/24 Update: wow… I totally forgot the kick ass Zappa Plays Zappa show at Moonlite Gardens in Cincinnati, OH on 7/24/07. I think I forgot because I didn’t blog about it when it happened (gettin’ ready to quit my job and pack up and head west at the time)… but now reading this week’s CityBeat, tons of people listed it as a favorite, and man, I was at that show, too… Dweezil = awesomes! Ray White = awesomes! Frank on a big screen behind the band, singing and soloing with the live band = awesomes! 2nd time seeing the ZPZ tour in 2 years (completely different setlist, too). I think it needs to be a once-a-year thing… in perpetuity.
REVIEW: Nellie McKay @ The Shedd (Eugene, OR – – 10/5/07)
Nellie McKay at the John G. Shedd Institute in downtown Eugene, OR – Fri, Oct 5th
We got to the venue right at 7:30. It’s a quaint music hall that was obviously converted from a church back in the day. There are hymnal racks and communion “empty” holders on the back of each pew. Anyway, Nellie ended up showing up late, as she was flying in from San Fran that afternoon. They pushed back the show only 30 minutes. There was no opener; so we wandered around the Institute for a bit. There’s a place to have dinner before the show… so that’s something to keep in mind for next time. There was also a nice “living room” where they had the concessions and merch. Amongst the concessions was a bottle of wine with Nellie’s picture pasted over the label. A local winery was one of the hosts/sponsors of the concert, and I suppose they were having fun.
We got to our seats and didn’t really like their location (quite right of center with Nellie’s piano blocking any chance of us seeing Nellie sing). The audience seemed to be showing up late; so we moved over to the (better) left side… only had to move over for people with tickets for our seats once (not bad).
Anyway, she played a great mix of songs from all three of her albums, as well as many standards, and some possibly not-so-standards. Here’s what I jotted down as the setlist (forgive the few that I had no clue on and couldn’t find info on from The Internets):
SET
Change the World
Clonie (start/stop… she complained that she needed to do it “punchier” and restarted it)
In a Sentimental Mood [Duke Ellington]
Oversure
Gin Rummy
The Dog Song
Toto Dies
Won’t U Please B Nice
Yodel
Cupcake
The Down Low (start/stop…. she messed up near the beginning of the song… then said how famous people either have “drugs or a teleprompter” and this show’s too cheap for either of those… then she restarted it…)
Columbia is Bleeding
http://www.columbiacruelty.com
http://www.stopcolumbia.org
Prisoner of Love (beautiful & haunting…) [Kitty Wells version]
Pounce (we sing this to our puppy a lot… a lot…)
Politan
Mother of Pearl
(switched to electric Ukelele)
If I Were a Bell [from “Guys and Dolls”]
Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter [Herman’s Hermits]
(back to piano)
I Wanna Get Married
A-Tisket, A-Tasket [Ella Fitzgerald]
There You Are In Me
Lali Est Paresseux
Mein Auto Zoom (thx for the title, nightlight)
Me Gusta Mañana (thx for the title, nightlight)
(back to front mic… singing to CD)
ZOMBIE!! (she went all out… and it was hilarious…)
Encore:
“Oh Freddie, I’m sorry…” (I don’t know what song this was)
…some song with something about “Jesus on toast” in it
Sari
Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans [Louis Armstrong]
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
It was a fantastic, hour and 45 minute set (or so) from this energetic songstress. She truly seemed to be having a fun time up on stage, and the audience also had a blast. She had a signing session in the living room after the show. Had we known that was gonna happen, I would’a pulled out my VegNews issue with her big article… alas, we didn’t know. Nor did we want to fight the crowd to talk to her… Margarita was tired from working all day, and I was tired from doing geometric average annual returns and stock correlation homework all day. So we called it a night…
Check out some of Nellie’s tunes:
Or check out VegNews:
Anyway… I hope to see Nellie again sometime. I’m glad we finally got to see her yesterday after being a fan of her music for going on 5 years… :-)
~Dan
now playing: groundtruther (charlie hunter & bobby previte) with john medeski – altitude
Music is Best. -FZ
1) Lala is fantastic… it helps having a rabid music obsession and living on a doctoral stipend a possibility.
2) Nellie McKay is playing the Shedd Institute this Friday. M & I have tickets. I’m sooo stoked. I heart Nellie. I’ll post a review-blog afterwards. Other shows in the near future (hopefully for me) are… Melt Banana (see below), Múm/Talkdemonic (see below), John Zorn’s Moonchild (Mike Patton/Joey Baron/Trevor Dunn), Iron & Wine (early Dec), David Bazan (mid-Dec), Do Make Say Think (maybe)…
3) Melt Banana (from Japan aka MxBx) are coming to Eugene’s W.O.W. Hall (~5 miles from me). And it’s $10. They’re a hardcore/noisecore/screamo band (the 2 songs on their MySpace player are not really indicative of their overall sound, IMO)… like John Zorn’s Naked City with less jazz or Mike Patton’s Fantômas with more velocity/ferocity… and Japanese “singing.”
4) Icelandic electronic-soundscapers Múm are coming to Portland’s Crystal Ballroom, and Portland instrumental band Talkdemonic are opening. It’s cheapish, but I don’t know if I am going, yet. We shall see how this month progresses… but it is a show that excites me. Múm are like a more electronic Sigur Rós, in many ways (to me)…
5) Shortly after 1999 or 2000, when I heard about them from a 1¶ blurb in SPIN, Sigur Rós quickly became one of my favorite bands of all time. Their new 2-CD collection, Hvarf-heim, is going to have one CD of “hits” and one CD of acoustic songs. Also, out on the same day, their Icelandic concert documentary DVD, Heima, looks bucking frilliant. The trailers (here -and- here) are astounding when it comes to colors and cinematic vision, IMO.
6) Radiohead are “selling” their new album, In Rainbows, as a “pay what you can” for the download version. They’ve also got this for the physical product fans (decidedly not pay what you can):
Tracklisting:
CD 1 AND VINYL
15 STEP
BODYSNATCHERS
NUDE
WEIRD FISHES/ARPEGGI
ALL I NEED
FAUST ARP
RECKONER
HOUSE OF CARDS
JIGSAW FALLING INTO PLACE
VIDEOTAPE
CD 2 AND VINYL
MK 1
DOWN IS THE NEW UP
GO SLOWLY
MK 2
LAST FLOWERS
UP ON THE LADDER
BANGERS AND MASH
4 MINUTE WARNING
Ooo… shiny…
~Dan
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
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