So as This Girl tries to break into the world of music journalism, I use my spare time to write reviews and articles for a local magazine called Performer Magazine. Excitingly enough, I just got published! It's my first time being published in any public publication and I'm super stoked about it. In case anyone was wondering, you can find my TWO live reviews at http://www.performermag.com/sep.livereviews.0811.php.
I would like to give a shout out to the The Stud Asian (he doesn't like That Guy) as he has been at every concert I attend. And If I didn't he'd kill me so there. ;) I have done more work for Performer and hopefully there is more to come, but again, for my 3 fans out there, here you go. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that I will someday get paid for this... :) Enjoy!
But that's just This Girl talking...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Coldplay brings the heat to Phillips Arena
So this is going to be a bit more of an informal blog. This Girl has had her FIRST request for more blogs from her fans (Thanks Chicago!), and by fans I mean the 3 people who read this thing. So I'm going to start a few more off the cuff and unedited pieces, but of course they'll stay in the unending theme of the endless possibilities of music.
So this past Wednesday night, This Girl attended the first of two Coldplay shows in Atlanta. Now, I am not the biggest Coldplay fan the begin with. Yellow was good, but as the songs and albums continued, I felt as if everytime I heard a song they were trying to put me under some sort of spell or play strange mind games, Clockwork Orange-style. As soon as Brian Eno, the world famous producer-maybe you've heard of U2's The Joshua Tree-and musician took the reigns of Coldplay's newest album Viva la Vida (Death and All of His Friends) they were reincarnated as the band who released one of This Girl's favorite albums of the year.
As I listened to the Viva la Vida on my iPod, in my car, and at my home, I realized that these celestial songs must be heard live and in person. I convinced my concert buddy, who wants to be refered to as The Hot Asian but I'll just call him That Guy, to get bad seats and go anyway. As we sat in the very back of Phillips Arena waiting for Chris Martin and the boys to appear, I couldn't help but get caught in the anticipation of what the new sound of Coldplay would be to my senses. I say senses, because (lame-o alert!) I watch shows with every sense I have. Good music has the ability to speak to your ears like a lover, visually stimulate like the Northern Lights, create an aroma of hard work and sweat, make you physically feel each note and word throughout your entire body, and bake the sweetest treat on your tounge as you sing along. Money is wasted and time is spent better elsewhere if these guidelines are not met at each show. But I digress....
Coldplay appeared to a darkened stage and opened with the instrumental first song on Viva, and then launched with everything they had into Violet Hill, my personal favorite. The roars of Chris Martin's voice, the heavy banging of the drums, and the intensity of the guitars came through with every breath the band took, and the laser lights that accompanied created the feeling of climbing through a dark forest and up a hill to the top. All while broken and battered, parched, with nothing but sheer will driving you upwards. The song climaxes 10 seconds before its' end, just like as if you used every last bit of strength you had to pull to the top of a mountain, only to lay down and rest as soon as you reached the summit. Even though it was at the beginning, this song was the best part of the show.
As the minutes went on, Coldplay played most of their new stuff, and all of their old favorites. Chris Martin's stage presence is nothing if not spectacular. He moves around the stage with every beat and bangs on the piano like he doesn't have a microphone and needs everyone in the arena to hear it. He throws himself on the ground, contorts his body in ways that you just can't choreograph. The drummer is so intense that he doesn't even look at the drum set througout most of the show, but plays by instinct and repetition of the songs he clearly loves. The boys who play the guitar seem to not even notice the crowd as they swayed with each strum and put all them had into each song. Coldplay is obviously grateful for all their fans, and clearly wants to provide an unforgettable show to each of them.
Fix You was a fan favorite, and to end with Viva la Vida was absolutely genius. That Guy had not heard most of their new songs, so he spent most of the time trying to appreciate the newer sound, and I think that hurt him in the long run. I have had a few months to get acquainted with Viva and wasn't spending the entire night determining whether I like the new songs or not. I will suggest that anyone seeing a Coldplay show to introduce themselves to Viva, because the live show is definitely worth money spent.
Stay tuned for many more reviews and roughly unedited blogs. This Girl and That Guy attend on average one show a week and to keep my fans happy, I will be abiding by their rules.
But that's just This Girl talking...
So this past Wednesday night, This Girl attended the first of two Coldplay shows in Atlanta. Now, I am not the biggest Coldplay fan the begin with. Yellow was good, but as the songs and albums continued, I felt as if everytime I heard a song they were trying to put me under some sort of spell or play strange mind games, Clockwork Orange-style. As soon as Brian Eno, the world famous producer-maybe you've heard of U2's The Joshua Tree-and musician took the reigns of Coldplay's newest album Viva la Vida (Death and All of His Friends) they were reincarnated as the band who released one of This Girl's favorite albums of the year.
As I listened to the Viva la Vida on my iPod, in my car, and at my home, I realized that these celestial songs must be heard live and in person. I convinced my concert buddy, who wants to be refered to as The Hot Asian but I'll just call him That Guy, to get bad seats and go anyway. As we sat in the very back of Phillips Arena waiting for Chris Martin and the boys to appear, I couldn't help but get caught in the anticipation of what the new sound of Coldplay would be to my senses. I say senses, because (lame-o alert!) I watch shows with every sense I have. Good music has the ability to speak to your ears like a lover, visually stimulate like the Northern Lights, create an aroma of hard work and sweat, make you physically feel each note and word throughout your entire body, and bake the sweetest treat on your tounge as you sing along. Money is wasted and time is spent better elsewhere if these guidelines are not met at each show. But I digress....
Coldplay appeared to a darkened stage and opened with the instrumental first song on Viva, and then launched with everything they had into Violet Hill, my personal favorite. The roars of Chris Martin's voice, the heavy banging of the drums, and the intensity of the guitars came through with every breath the band took, and the laser lights that accompanied created the feeling of climbing through a dark forest and up a hill to the top. All while broken and battered, parched, with nothing but sheer will driving you upwards. The song climaxes 10 seconds before its' end, just like as if you used every last bit of strength you had to pull to the top of a mountain, only to lay down and rest as soon as you reached the summit. Even though it was at the beginning, this song was the best part of the show.
As the minutes went on, Coldplay played most of their new stuff, and all of their old favorites. Chris Martin's stage presence is nothing if not spectacular. He moves around the stage with every beat and bangs on the piano like he doesn't have a microphone and needs everyone in the arena to hear it. He throws himself on the ground, contorts his body in ways that you just can't choreograph. The drummer is so intense that he doesn't even look at the drum set througout most of the show, but plays by instinct and repetition of the songs he clearly loves. The boys who play the guitar seem to not even notice the crowd as they swayed with each strum and put all them had into each song. Coldplay is obviously grateful for all their fans, and clearly wants to provide an unforgettable show to each of them.
Fix You was a fan favorite, and to end with Viva la Vida was absolutely genius. That Guy had not heard most of their new songs, so he spent most of the time trying to appreciate the newer sound, and I think that hurt him in the long run. I have had a few months to get acquainted with Viva and wasn't spending the entire night determining whether I like the new songs or not. I will suggest that anyone seeing a Coldplay show to introduce themselves to Viva, because the live show is definitely worth money spent.
Stay tuned for many more reviews and roughly unedited blogs. This Girl and That Guy attend on average one show a week and to keep my fans happy, I will be abiding by their rules.
But that's just This Girl talking...
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Tabernacle welcomes Ray LaMontagne and his band of followers
Let me start off by saying that This Girl has seen many shows in her day. MANY shows. I have discovered favorite bands while seeing them open up for the artist I actually came to see, and I have been severely disappointed by favorite legendary artists, never to be seen again. So listen to me, and listen good, because I will only say this once. Biasly, Ray LaMontagne is the greatest show you will ever attend. Unbiasly, Ray LaMontagne is the best show you will EVER attend. There are so many words to describe this remarkable display of unmistakable talent and soul capturing passion that I am at a loss at where to try to begin and explain the experience that is Ray LaMontagne; live and flawless.The Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta is neighbor to tourist staples such as the CNN Center, Georgia Dome, Phillips Arena, and Centennial Olympic Park. It colorfully painted walls, ceilings, and floors provide wonderful views of the stage no matter where you choose to sit in the usually unassigned seats. This particular Saturday, however, chairs were unfolded on the usually open floor, and the balcony seats were already chosen for the ticket holder. Everywhere you looked, couples were being asked to return to their purchased seat, as many tried to squeak their way into lower seats, hoping that their owner somehow didn't make it to the concert. You could see people engaged in conversation, all the while keeping one eye on the stage, afraid they were going to miss one note of the raspy voiced singer/songwriters voice. The beer lines were short, and everyone was in their seats by 8:59 p.m. You could cut the anticipation with a knife.
As the lights dimmed, the crowd exploded with simultaneous loud applause and hushed screams and Ray LaMontagne appeared with his band of 4 behind him. The musician hails from the backwoods of Maine, and his physical aesthetic echos the stereotype. He is tall and lean, with a heavy beard, and dressed in what look like old jeans and a well worn flannel shirt that makes him seem like a skinny lumberjack. The entire scene makes LaMontagne seem as if he was greeting you on the porch of a log cabin, snow all around, with a hot cocoa (or hot whiskey) in hand for your tastebuds instead of coming out on stage. And then he starts to sing.
Oh God, the singing. The first few notes that break through are from You Are the Best Thing, which is the first single from LaMontagne's third album Gossip in the Grain. He is best known for writing songs about wearing your broken, battered, and bloody heart on your sleeve. This song, however, is the most upbeat of any Ray song on any album. When he finishes, the crowd errupts in a frenzy of hand clapping, whistles, and cheers. You would have thought they had more than 4 days to listen to the new album, as it was released only the Tuesday before the show. LaMontagne continued with the more acoustic Hold Me in Your Arms, and the fans sang right along with the performer. Nothing about LaMontagne screams pop star, but you wouldn't know it by the audiences' reaction of several 'I LOVE YOU, RAY!' and 'PLAY JOLENE!'. He seems not to notice as he stands still, stage left, guitar in hand.
The musician's stage presence is nothing if not un-memorable. He doesn't move around a lot or speak to the audience inbetween songs. Actually, LaMontagne keeps his eyes closed the entire time he's performing. That being said, you can hear every single enunciation, every voal inflection, everytime he crosses his t's and dots his i's when he sings. It makes you wonder if closing his eyes doesn't transport him into a world of absolution, where every syllable is indefectible.
LaMontagne continued on the journey of a mountain retreat by playing Empty, a hollow and painfully beautiful song from his sophmore album Till the Sun Turns Black. The song is sung in what sounds like a loud whisper, and insantly it seems as if he's playing only to you by a campfire outside his log cabin, with only a wool blanket and warm lyrics to fend off frostbite. With no dialogue inbetween songs, LaMontagne launches into two new songs, I Still Care For You and Let It Be Me. The former is written like a love letter and played with instruments that melt together to create an audio orgasm, the latter rings as a last effort speech with ambiguous lyrics that can apply to any relationship in life.
Mixing up the pace of the show, Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame) is played next, and in the movie that is a Ray LaMontagne concert, Shame is the chase scene. It's high energy, bluesy melody forces toe tapping and the hint of a smile as every strum of the guitar is felt in the depths of your chest. If Shame is the chase, the Roses and Cigarettes is the climactic love scene with the songwriting perfection that is 'Oh roses and cigarettes/a pillowcase that remembers you/the scent of you still lingers on my fingertips/till I think I might go insane/when will I see you again?' Meg White is the most clever part of the show, as LaMontagne sings about a 16-year-old crush on the drummer for the White Stripes. The simple, rhyming lines seemingly fit into the emotionally complexity that is LaMontagne's songwriting. It is the sigh of relief in a show where the crowd holds their breath, as if to scare away a rare endagered animal.
LaMontagne nears the end his set with the sublimely bluegrassy feel of Hey Me, Hey Mamma and the underground jazz clubby You Don't Bring Me Flowers; each somehow reinventing a new respect for LaMontagne and his ability to create an atmosphere of music, not just an exceptional album. Expectedly, he ends the set with his radio hit Trouble and leaves the stage for a minute, only to return for the obvious encore. What's not so obvious, is the fact that he chose the Rod Stewart tune Stay With Me to open with. The oldie but goodie selection solidified any doubt that one might have of the musical range Ray LaMontagne might have, as he killed the song in such a way that Rod himself would be proud. After the familiar Three More Days, LaMontagne strummed three times on his guitar and quenched the audience with the water they were thirsting for: Jolene. Jolene was never a radio hit, was never made famous by a placement on Grey's Anatomy, or featured in a Jennifer Garner romantic comedy. It is the kind of song that comes on your iPod and makes you actually stop what you are doing, stop what you are thinking, and listen to the words. It forces you to rewind and listen again, it unwillingly becomes the single most passionate song you have ever heard from an artist. It is the moment in the show you wish to stay in forever.
There is nothing about the performance Ray LaMontagne could have done to make it better. The set list was in place and the musician got completely lost in the execution. The crowd responded to every song as if it were their favorite, and the token cover song was a crowning compliment to the original ditties. There is a reason Gossip in the Grain was number 3 on the Billboard charts the week in was released, and that reason is because even though listeners can be deafened by studio created pop acts and sampled hip hop tracks, real music lovers know a true gift to the ears when they hear it.
But That's Just This Girl Talking...
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Amos Lee brings relief to Hot-lanta
It was 90 degrees outside on the Atlanta streets, without much relief inside the Variety Playhouse. The sold out Amos Lee show that consisted of a crowd of all ages created a sort of still, hot air that at times made it difficult to breathe. However, when the headliner took to the stage and opened his show with Keep it Lose, Keep it Tight from his self-titled debut album, it was as if you were transported to a quaint coffee house sipping on a cafe au lait. It was like this all night, with Amos Lee taking you from coffee house, to smokey jazz bar, or the underbelly of a basement blues club. The singer/songwriter's three albums have been released to lukewarm reviews, while finding success on satellite and internet radio. But, for the live performance on a steamy Tuesday night, he created a refreshing cocktail made of 1 part jazz, 1 part blues, a splash of folk, topped off with a garnish of sensual soul.
Lee continued his show with songs from his sophmore album Supply and Demand with the upbeat song of the same name, to which you couldn't help but smile, then followed up with the entrancing Truth and Careless. This is one of the few performances where the artist doesn't need to make small talk with the audience to keep their attention. Amos Lee had the crowd in the palm of his hand since the beginning, and continued to enthrall them with an energizing Freedom, and even had them clapping along during Bottom of the Barrel. There is something in the John Mayer-esque way that Lee bobs his head in and out that keeps his fans asking for more.
Lee has a quiet charm about him, only pausing to have a few sips of water, change from acoustic to electric guitars, or update the crowd about new songs he's about to play. His third studio album, Live at the Lodge, keeps the same mellow sound as his previous ones. However, he did re-record Truth from his first album to create a newer plugged-in version of the tune. Songs like Kid, What's Been Going On, and Baby I Want You are almost filler songs in between his well known hits. But when Won't Let Me Go was being played, the song is so sexy that you half expect Barry White to come strolling on stage for a duet. The lines 'Stood around while you dated that old fool Marcus/Whole time I knew he wasn't no damn good for you/Guess it's true sometimes I know we can all be a little bit heartless/But tonight all I wanna do is make sweet love to you.' might make you want to grab the nearest guy or girl and find a dark corner, or even leave the show early for a late night at home if the music wasn't so addicting.
As the first few chords of Southern Girl were being strummed, every woman in the theater went up in screams. Every girl there imagined herself the subject of the musicians romantic fantasy. This was the start to a string of well known songs to wrap up the show. Fun diddies like Sweet Pea and Shout Out Loud made you dance in your seat, and the heart wrenching lyrics of Black River was felt deep in the soul of each individual. Black River, reminiscent of old southern hymnals, was the most intensely played song of the evening. The crowd's reaction to Lee left no doubt to an encore. After two songs from his new album, he catered to fans with Colors, and after a bit of yelling by concertgoers, the deeply emotional Nighttrain. Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising moment of the entire show came in the form of the Queen classic Fat Bottom Girls. This cover was the most insanely appropriate song to convert into a blues sound, and Amos Lee made it work amazingly.
Amos Lee has yet to find his footing in the spotlight, even though his songs can be found on various movie and TV soundtracks, and even in a cell phone commercial. He has also recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios for the IFC's Live at Abbey Road music series. He does not need fancy lighting, a 9 piece band, or mindless chatter inbetween sets. Lee's music says it all in the lyrics and his clearly apparent love for playing live. If you are less than impressed with his studio albums and think all the songs start sounding the same, then attending a show is the best remedy. Afterwards, each song will sound differently from the first time you heard it, and you will rediscover an incredible artist with unparalleled talent.
But that's just This Girl talking...
Lee continued his show with songs from his sophmore album Supply and Demand with the upbeat song of the same name, to which you couldn't help but smile, then followed up with the entrancing Truth and Careless. This is one of the few performances where the artist doesn't need to make small talk with the audience to keep their attention. Amos Lee had the crowd in the palm of his hand since the beginning, and continued to enthrall them with an energizing Freedom, and even had them clapping along during Bottom of the Barrel. There is something in the John Mayer-esque way that Lee bobs his head in and out that keeps his fans asking for more.
Lee has a quiet charm about him, only pausing to have a few sips of water, change from acoustic to electric guitars, or update the crowd about new songs he's about to play. His third studio album, Live at the Lodge, keeps the same mellow sound as his previous ones. However, he did re-record Truth from his first album to create a newer plugged-in version of the tune. Songs like Kid, What's Been Going On, and Baby I Want You are almost filler songs in between his well known hits. But when Won't Let Me Go was being played, the song is so sexy that you half expect Barry White to come strolling on stage for a duet. The lines 'Stood around while you dated that old fool Marcus/Whole time I knew he wasn't no damn good for you/Guess it's true sometimes I know we can all be a little bit heartless/But tonight all I wanna do is make sweet love to you.' might make you want to grab the nearest guy or girl and find a dark corner, or even leave the show early for a late night at home if the music wasn't so addicting.
As the first few chords of Southern Girl were being strummed, every woman in the theater went up in screams. Every girl there imagined herself the subject of the musicians romantic fantasy. This was the start to a string of well known songs to wrap up the show. Fun diddies like Sweet Pea and Shout Out Loud made you dance in your seat, and the heart wrenching lyrics of Black River was felt deep in the soul of each individual. Black River, reminiscent of old southern hymnals, was the most intensely played song of the evening. The crowd's reaction to Lee left no doubt to an encore. After two songs from his new album, he catered to fans with Colors, and after a bit of yelling by concertgoers, the deeply emotional Nighttrain. Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising moment of the entire show came in the form of the Queen classic Fat Bottom Girls. This cover was the most insanely appropriate song to convert into a blues sound, and Amos Lee made it work amazingly.
Amos Lee has yet to find his footing in the spotlight, even though his songs can be found on various movie and TV soundtracks, and even in a cell phone commercial. He has also recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios for the IFC's Live at Abbey Road music series. He does not need fancy lighting, a 9 piece band, or mindless chatter inbetween sets. Lee's music says it all in the lyrics and his clearly apparent love for playing live. If you are less than impressed with his studio albums and think all the songs start sounding the same, then attending a show is the best remedy. Afterwards, each song will sound differently from the first time you heard it, and you will rediscover an incredible artist with unparalleled talent.
But that's just This Girl talking...
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
It's time to discover the Undiscovered
So I have a tendency to pull a John Cusak in High Fidelity and make 'Top Five' lists. Top 5 movies, top 5 best pick up lines, even top 5 best sandwiches. Well as a music buff, I have to make sub-categories because there's just too much good stuff out there. I want to tell you a little bit about one of my favorite CD's released in the past 5 years.
This Boy. Wonderful World. You Give me Something. Undiscovered. All hit songs off of 23 year-old James Morrison's breakout CD Undiscovered. And if you haven't heard of any of these, they are huge hits in the UK. Now, I first heard this amazing talent while in Ireland a little over a year ago. I mistook him for Ray LaMontagne. The throaty voice, the tame melody, and though provoking lyrics all pointed in that direction. But after a few times hearing You Give Me Something on the radio, the Irish DJ proceeded to tell me that it was James Morrison. As soon as I returned stateside, I looked him up on iTunes, only to be disappointed when he wasn't there. So I ordered his CD online. As soon as I popped it into the player, I didn't take it out for a month.
So let me just start by saying WOW. Not exactly poetry, but there might not be any other words to describe this young wonder. And no studio tricks necessary. I saw him live, TWICE, in the same day. All acoustic, and all fabulous. The highlight of the second show was when he broke out in the Van Morrsion classic And it Stoned Me. The young crowd seemed oblivious to the fact that they were hearing history.
But enough of my praise for the singer. Technically, James Morrison is flawless in his songwriting and perfectly flawed in his voice. This Boy tells a tale of a young boy forced to make up for his parents shortcomings. Clearly comes from past experiences. The boy grows up into a young man who falls in love and gets his heart broken, but lives to tell the tale in The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore. As the boy recovers and experiences adulthhood he realizes that he's "Not lost, just Undiscovered." This he screams from the top of his lungs in Undiscovered.
Undiscovered by James Morrison is a CD you will listen to for 60 days straight, then put back in it's case for a few months. You will find it while looking for your Bob Dylan or Dave Matthews, see it, and think 'This is a great CD. I think I'll listen to it again'. And as you do, you'll wonder why you ever stopped.
But that's just This Girl talking...
Sunday, August 3, 2008
What do you do when you become a classic?
As we grow up, we learn that the word classic is usually used to describe something that stays great throughout time. In school, we study the classics: Shakespeare, Dante, Twain. When we are looking for our first car, we drool over the thought of owning a classic: perhaps a '64 Mustang or '67 Chevy. So how come as the decades pass, each generation distastefully refers to their parents’ moldy oldies as classic music? And why, although generally acknowledged as good, does classic music get categorized by young listeners as old people music? What do you do when you realize that the bands you listened to in high school are now considered classic rock?
The exact scenario above just happened to This Girl. I was passing the time watching music videos, tuned into VH1 Classic, and the music video for Soul Asylum's Misery from 1995 came on. As always, the first 4 chords reminded me of hot and stagnant summer nights spent playing capture the flag and an 11 o'clock curfew. This music video would inevitably always be on late night MTV as I recapped the days events with my best friend on the phone, or with my Marvin the Martian diary. I sat on the couch and watched the video with a smile on my face, but then realized that this was now considered a classic rock song! I remembered that my other favorite band from the mid 90's, The Gin Blossoms, toured with Soul Asylum this summer. They came to Chastain Amphitheater as part of the Classic Chastain music series. What!? Classic who?! Now I consider myself pretty hip and trendy, and I am most certainly up to speed on fresh new music. So how come bands I think are cool, would now be boo-ed by my 17-year-old cousin? What is going on here!
I thought back to some of the other music that gets played on this 'classic' music channel. Dire Straits, Michael Jackson, and wait, Blues Traveler?! What constitutes a classic band? When I was a youth, classic rock was considered Led Zepplin, The Who, Boston, and The Beatles. Now those bands at the time hadn't released a new album in a decade or more, even if they were still participating in the occasional U.S. tour. Others such as Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, and U2 had been around for 10-30 years but not considered old or classic. They were still releasing new albums, which generally had a new sound from their previous ones. Generating a new sound allowed the bands to be enjoyed and discovered by a younger audience, who then went backwards to fall in love with their earlier works. So maybe keeping up with the times, redefining the original sound, and creating fresh chords is what keeps a band from being considered a classic.
There are moments in every person’s life where they begin to feel old. Maybe it’s the first time a child puts Mr. or Ms. in front of their name. Or maybe it’s the first time you leave a bar early because you ‘have a busy day tomorrow’. But for every music enthusiast, the gauge of age comes when their favorite album from high school is filed in the classic rock category of the used record store. They say that all things get better with age. If this is true, then the brilliance that is The Doors, The O’Jays, and Earth, Wind, and Fire will soon be studied as ‘The Classics’ in the next music appreciation class. With that being said, if Bon Jovi, Blues Traveler, and Soul Asylum are considered classic, then just think of This Girl as an old fart.
But that's just This Girl talking...
Sunday, June 8, 2008
The Swell Season blows Atlanta out of the water
From the moment Glen Hansard stepped out on stage, alone and unplugged, the audience was never the same. The lead singer then, without any into, started the show the way he started the movie, ONCE. With a powerful song titled Say it to me Now that would have the audience jaw dropped the rest of the show. There was no better way to open the show than to have Hansard with his beat up guitar, playing so hard and intense that the sound resonated the large theater and gripped your heart with the strong hand of his passion for music.
The Swell Season arrived at the Cobb Energy Theater on a tidal wave of international charm and musical genius. Just a year ago, Irishman Glen Hansard and Czech piano playing beauty Marketa Irgolva were on the big screen in the small budget film ONCE. Their band, The Swell Season, provided most tracks on the soundtrack and with their electric melodies, made the soundtrack and accompanying movie the Indie hit of the year and adopting an Oscar in the aftermath.
When the breath returned to the concert goers, Irglova then joined Hansard on stage for a few more songs familiar to the audience from the best-selling soundtrack. A fun surprise was the fact that Hansard's other band, The Frames, had joined them as the backup band and delivered with a solid thunder strike in the emotional Lies and incredible When Your Mind's Made Up. They introduced a few new songs, even switching instruments for an angelic Irglova sung I Have Loved Gone Wrong. When they returned to familiar soundtrack tunes, the shy Irish lad continued with another solo acoustic version of Leave, which again left the fans wanting more.
Because these singer/songwriters are so used to being under the radar, it is evident they are still trying to find their footing in the spotlight. Hansard tended to ramble on about subjects such as Irish divorce and the Pagan meaning of the word, all the while soliciting eye rolling and witty banter from his counterpoint in Irglova. He even tended to play into the stereotype of Irish storytellers by ending stories with life lessons in quotes like 'I may not be perfect but I'm dependable.' and 'A fool knows nothing, which is why he knows everything.'. This charm works for The Swell Season and is sure to keep their fan base solid, only continuing to grow in strength.
So if you haven't already, see the movie, listen to the soundtrack and buy tickets to a show. The Swell Season will sweep you up in electric lightning bolts of lyrics and whitecaps of melodic piano keys. Don't bring a raincoat, as you will want to feel every raindrop of emotion that the Swell Season brings with them.
But that just This Girl talking...
The Swell Season arrived at the Cobb Energy Theater on a tidal wave of international charm and musical genius. Just a year ago, Irishman Glen Hansard and Czech piano playing beauty Marketa Irgolva were on the big screen in the small budget film ONCE. Their band, The Swell Season, provided most tracks on the soundtrack and with their electric melodies, made the soundtrack and accompanying movie the Indie hit of the year and adopting an Oscar in the aftermath.
When the breath returned to the concert goers, Irglova then joined Hansard on stage for a few more songs familiar to the audience from the best-selling soundtrack. A fun surprise was the fact that Hansard's other band, The Frames, had joined them as the backup band and delivered with a solid thunder strike in the emotional Lies and incredible When Your Mind's Made Up. They introduced a few new songs, even switching instruments for an angelic Irglova sung I Have Loved Gone Wrong. When they returned to familiar soundtrack tunes, the shy Irish lad continued with another solo acoustic version of Leave, which again left the fans wanting more.
Because these singer/songwriters are so used to being under the radar, it is evident they are still trying to find their footing in the spotlight. Hansard tended to ramble on about subjects such as Irish divorce and the Pagan meaning of the word, all the while soliciting eye rolling and witty banter from his counterpoint in Irglova. He even tended to play into the stereotype of Irish storytellers by ending stories with life lessons in quotes like 'I may not be perfect but I'm dependable.' and 'A fool knows nothing, which is why he knows everything.'. This charm works for The Swell Season and is sure to keep their fan base solid, only continuing to grow in strength.
So if you haven't already, see the movie, listen to the soundtrack and buy tickets to a show. The Swell Season will sweep you up in electric lightning bolts of lyrics and whitecaps of melodic piano keys. Don't bring a raincoat, as you will want to feel every raindrop of emotion that the Swell Season brings with them.
But that just This Girl talking...
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