Thursday, September 24, 2009

My show at Bryant Lake Bowl, Tuesday Sept. 24th

Tuesday at the Bryant-Lake Bowl was an excellent start to the Hometown Tour. (Or the "Staycation Tour" as my friends have dubbed it.) I've played there before and I dig the "tiny theater" that they have. I haven't seen many rooms around the country like it.

The gig also had its own unique vibe and proportion. I think my energy was all there, but a little weird. The songs and the notes were wriggling around like cats in a bag; the squirminess wasn't unpleasant, it was interesting, but it kept suprising me. For example the version I played of "Honey Please" was full of strange variations on the piano and changes of tempo and arrangement, nothing I had planned, they all just kind of happened. Which is great, actually, when the spirit of the night is more powerful than the plan that holds it together.
I also unveiled my "Live at the Pantages" CD, which is a mail-order and stage only fan piece for now, but which I'm very proud of. Bought special Sharpies, urged the folks all to buy the record, and signed a lot of them at the end of the night.
Here's the set list:

FNT - fresh from the Current performance I did before the show. I am loving this song again, the rhythm of the guitar part jumps from my hands without effort these days.

Hand On My Heart

Turtle Dove - yes, the Trip Shakespeare song.

Great Divide

Baby Doll - everyone sang along to the "no one else" parts. I finally figured out why that last "no one else" in the chorus has singer-alongers confused. It's not there on the album but it belongs there and everyone instinctively knows that.

Your Brighter Days - new song, wrote it about someone I met on a plane

Sugar - on piano.

Act Naturally - suprised myself at soundcheck by playing this song on piano. I almost never play it and certainly not on the piano, but piano/voice is the perfect setting for it.

Greece story - okay this is not a song, it's a long story about my trip to Greece to play on their Mad TV Video Music Awards show recently. My parents were at the BLB on Tuesday, so I told the people how my Dad had alerted me a year ago to the MILLION views of a Youtube clip of "Breathless." This was a clip that only has the static picture of the "Free Life" album cover. My Dad said that something must be going on, and when I found out what it was, an adventure ensued.

Breathless - I wish I could have sung it in Greek but I did the English version.

All Will Be Well - song by me and Gabe Dixon. Always makes me happy.

Free Life
----
----

Honey Please - on piano, by request

Falling - also a request

All Kinds - nice singing everyone.

7 comments:

Christine said...

Must have been the influence of the Autumnal Equinox.

Sounds like a fab show. I adore your music and hope to see you live again, someday, as it has been far too long.

Unknown said...

Big all will be well fan. Sounds like a great concert.

Marisa said...

I so wish my schedule would have allowed me to see this. BLB was a great venue the last time we saw you there. I am glad it was a good one.

Kara said...

Wish I had been there. I'm a fan of yours from the Trip Shakespeare years (Lawrence), loved Free Life and I bought Gabe Dixon's album about a year ago and about died when I saw that you had cowritten with him! Thanks for putting out such fantastic work.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

We loved the show. Thanks for the great music, and for the conversation afterward. It was one of the best shows of our musical year so far....

Unknown said...

Thanks for a wonderful, intimate show. I've been playing the new CDs all day, remembering being at that great concert, too. I was telling my 7year old daughter about the bowling noise in the background, she made me sing one of your songs so she could recreate the affect. She took over the singing, she knows the words and sings better than me and I have to admit - I do a better bowling imitation that her - everyone has their talents! Thanks again.